Elkem Commissions 2 Climate-Friendly Ships for North Sea Operation From NCL and MPC Container Ships

Elkem has entered into an agreement with NCL (North Sea Container Line AS) who will charter in two new container ships enabling carbon neutral operations from MPC Container Ships to further improve Elkem's North Sea logistics.

Enabling the use of green methanol as fuel, featuring high safety standards and backed by a strong business case, the new ships will enable higher operational efficiency and more climate-friendly transport in line with Elkem's strategy.

The agreement will also enable NCL to become the first container vessel operator in Norway to put methanol-powered ships into operations.

The two new-build ships will replace three of NCL's current diesel-powered vessels, which will be phased out from operations. The ships, each at a capacity of 1300 TEU (twenty-foot equivalent units), will be owned by the Oslo Børs listed MPC Container Ships ASA (MPCC) in partnership with Topeka MPC Maritime AS.

Both vessels are expected to be in operation from the second half of 2024. The new ships are also highly automated, enabling higher efficiency, and feature several new safety measures to eliminate the risks of injury during operations.

"Elkem's mission is to provide advanced material solutions shaping a better and more sustainable future. Our operations require a significant amount of transport across the value chain, including sea transport as the most climate-friendly mode of transport for bulk goods. These state-of-the-art vessels will further increase our efficiency through increased capacity and can potentially cut net CO₂-emissions from 45 % up to 100% through the use of green methanol. This contract with NCL and the innovative newbuilding project with MPC Container Ships ASA is a great example of how operational excellence and sustainability can go hand in hand," says Elkem's CEO, Helge Aasen.