Shipping company A.P. Moller Maersk has placed orders for eight large container ships to be equipped with dual-fuel LNG engines at a Chinese shipbuilder.

The orders were placed with New Times Shipbuilding Co. Ltd, the company said in a statement on its website on Monday.

All eight 18,600-TEU vessels are scheduled for delivery in 2029 and 2030.

The order underscores Maersk’s efforts to diversify its decarbonisation pathway.

While the company was an early mover in methanol and currently operates a fleet of about 20 methanol-capable container ships, it has been broadening its fuel strategy by also placing orders for LNG-fuelled newbuilds, including a series of 20 vessels contracted in 2024.

LNG is also more widely available than methanol as a marine fuel, with industry group SEA-LNG reporting supply at around 222 ports globally, supporting near-term operational flexibility.

However, LNG is composed primarily of methane, a potent greenhouse gas, which can undermine its overall emissions advantage versus conventional marine fuels.

Bio-LNG offers a lower-carbon alternative and can be used as a drop-in fuel in existing dual-fuel LNG vessels, potentially improving lifecycle emissions performance as supply scales.

Maersk now has 33 vessels on order, with four scheduled for delivery this year.