Hapag-Lloyd and North Sea Container Line to deploy e-fuel powered containerships from 2027
By on January 20, 2026
Click to learn more. North Sea Container Line has been awarded a tender by the Zero Emission Maritime Buyers Alliance to deploy the renewable ammonia-powered Yara Eyde from 2027. Source: Yara.
The Zero Emission Maritime Buyers Alliance (ZEMBA) has announced shipping lines Hapag-Lloyd and North Sea Container Line (NCL) as the winners of its second tender aimed at deploying two containerships powered by e-fuels. Hapag-Lloyd will deploy e-methanol on large methanol dual-fuel containerships on a trans-oceanic lane, while NCL will deploy a renewable ammonia-powered containership (the Yara Eyde) to serve a northern European trade lane.
Announced in March of this year, this procurement round focused on boosting the market for scalable, low-carbon hydrogen-derived fuels to advance maritime decarbonisation. Produced from renewable energy-derived hydrogen, the fuels deployed in this project must have a carbon intensity about 90% lower than conventional high-emission fuel on a life cycle basis. ZEMBA’s first tender, conducted in April 2024, focused on deployed biomethane powered containerships and was also won by Hapag-Lloyd.
In three years, through this effort, participating companies will deploy e-fuels on an initial 20 billion tonne nautical miles of transport activity, resulting in about 120,000 tons of GHG emissions being abated from 2027. Alliance members include cofounders Amazon, Patagonia and Tchibo, and others including Beiersdorf, Brooks Running, Green Worldwide Shipping, IKEA, Nike, Poly Medicure Ltd., and Sport-Thieme. With contracting still ongoing, ZEMBA welcomes additional interested freight buyers to reach out through its website.
We applaud Hapag-Lloyd and North Sea Container Line’s leadership, collaboration, and innovation, as well as the quality of their offerings in response to ZEMBA’s pioneering market signal. This voluntary private sector initiative remains on track to invest in rapid on-the-water deployment of vastly scalable, next-generation maritime fuels.
Ingrid Irigoyen, President and CEO of ZEMBA, in ZEMBA’s official press release, 17 December 2025
We are proud to be awarded together with Hapag-Lloyd the ZEMBA tender, reaffirming NCL’s commitment to shaping the future of sustainable logistics. With a dedicated product for ZEMBA’s members who are ready to drive real change, NCL will continue to push the transition towards next generation maritime fuels. We are truly grateful for the strong support from the business community as we work together to deliver efficient and forward-thinking transport solutions.
Bente Hetland, CEO of NCL, in ZEMBA’s official press release, 17 December 2025