The energy company Mabanaft and TUI Cruises are joining forces to help make the cruise industry more climate-friendly. With Mein Schiff 7, TUI Cruises will commission a cruise ship in 2024 that can be powered by methanol and, in the future, by green methanol. This project offers the opportunity to decarbonise the ship’s propulsion system. Over the next few years, TUI Cruises plans to expand its fleet in Germany with further dual-fuel methanol-capable cruise ships.
Integrated supply and infrastructure solution in the Port of Hamburg
The Mabanaft Group, a supplier of marine fuels and operator of fuel depots in Germany, Denmark and Hungary, among other things, intends to expand its range of marine fuels to include methanol and other hydrogen derivatives from renewable sources. The aim is to support customers in their efforts to phase out fossil fuels. In order to supply TUI Cruises, amongst others, with methanol, Mabanaft is also planning the necessary storage and bunkering infrastructure in the Port of Hamburg and possibly other ports.
Clean energy for shipping customers
Mabanaft is committed to promoting and expanding the supply of clean energy for shipping customers both in Germany and worldwide. “We expect green methanol to play an immediate role in the decarbonisation of shipping – methanol dual-fuel engines are already available, and we can retrofit our existing refuelling infrastructure to supply methanol to our customers,” says Volker Ebeling, Senior Vice President New Energy, Supply & Infrastructure at Mabanaft. “From biofuels to hydrogen and ammonia to methanol – we want to make all these options available to the shipping industry. The agreement with TUI Cruises is therefore an important step for us towards an integrated methanol fuel solution.” Wybcke Meier, CEO of TUI Cruises, says: “Climate-neutral cruises are a matter of the right technologies and long-term strategies. We have both. On the one hand, we are continuously equipping our fleets with innovative propulsion systems; on the other, we are ensuring the supply of alternative fuels – through collaborations with partners such as Mabanaft. In this way, we will achieve our goals.”
Preparing for the cruise industry’s methanol requirements
The memorandum of understanding marks the start of a long-term strategic partnership between Mabanaft and TUI Cruises. Under the agreement, Mabanaft will meet TUI Cruises’ methanol requirements in northern Germany – and, in future, possibly also in other European ports. The company intends to focus on a gradual transition to synthetic e-methanol.
The Mabanaft Group is a leading independent and integrated energy company that provides its customers with innovative energy solutions in the transport, heating, industrial and agricultural sectors. The group is active in the import, distribution and marketing of petroleum products, natural gas liquids, chemicals and biofuels, and supports its customers in the transition to cleaner fuels by offering alternative long-term solutions.
TUI Cruises GmbH is one of the leading cruise operators in the German-speaking world. The joint venture between TUI AG and the US cruise company Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. employs around 750 staff in Hamburg and Berlin. A fleet of six ships operates under the Mein Schiff brand. Since the end of 2020, the Hapag-Lloyd Cruises brand, with a fleet currently comprising five ships, has also been part of TUI Cruises GmbH. The Mein Schiff fleet offers contemporary holiday cruises in the premium segment (Mein Schiff 1 to Mein Schiff 6 / bed capacity: 15,900). Hapag-Lloyd Cruises is the leading cruise brand in the luxury and expedition sectors in German-speaking countries, with a history spanning 130 years. TUI Cruises operates one of the most modern and environmentally and climate-friendly fleets in the world. As part of its sustainable growth strategy, three further new ships are planned by 2026
