Today French multinational energy company, Total, has joined the Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping as a strategic partner and accelerates its research and development program for carbon-neutral shipping solutions.
Based in Copenhagen, the research and development centre is a private initiative, launched with the support of the A.P. Møller Foundation, to promote and contribute to the decarbonisation of the maritime industry.
The partnership will allow Total to join forces with leading players across the shipping sector to develop new low-carbon alternative fuels and carbon neutrality solutions.
As a member of the Advisory Board, Total will aim at providing strategic and technical guidance for the development of the centre’s activities.
Marie-Noëlle Semeria, Chief Technology Officer at Total, said the partnership with the centre aligns with the company’s R&D marine fuels program, aimed at net-zero carbon emissions.
“By gathering shareholders across the full chain, this centre will accelerate the development of sustainable solutions for shipping,” she said.
“Total will actively contribute to projects through secondments of technical experts and knowledge sharing. We truly look forward to this new collaboration.”
Luc Gillet, Senior Vice President Shipping, Total Trading & Shipping said the new cooperation is in line with its climate ambition to get to net-zero by 2050.
“As a broad energy company, we are actively working on improving the environmental footprint of our customers in the maritime industry and today we reaffirm our support to this key sector. The centre will pave the way towards a greener shipping for the benefit of the whole industry as well as for our own chartering activities,” Mr Gillet said.
Bo Cerup-Simonsen, CEO of Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Center, said decarbonising shipping can only be achieved through comprehensive collaboration across maritime and energy sectors.
“Total shares our vision of a zero-carbon maritime industry and acknowledgement of the vast effort required to get there. In joining the centre, they bring onboard vital experience and knowledge contributing to establish projects and activities that will accelerate the development of tomorrow’s solution.”
About the Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping
The Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping is a not-for-profit, independent research- and development centre working across the energy- and shipping sectors with industry, academia and authorities.
With partners, the centre is creating an overview of viable decarbonisation pathways, facilitating the development and implementation of new energy technologies; building confidence in new concepts and their supply chains; and accelerating the transition by defining and maturing viable strategic pathways to the required systemic change.
The centre is located in Copenhagen but works with partners globally.
The centre was founded in 2020 by American Bureau of Shipping, A.P. Moller – Maersk, Cargill, MAN Energy Solutions, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, NYK Line and Siemens Energy and made possible by a start-up donation of DKK 400m by the A.P. Møller Foundation. For more information, visit here.
