Ocean carrier Maersk has successfully completed the first ever U.S. ship-to-ship bunkering of a deep-sea container vessel with 100% bioethanol fuel.
According to a September 28 release, the bunkering of the dual-fuel Tangier Maersk took place in Houston, Texas, with the ship receiving U.S.-made corn ethanol. The 9,000 twenty-foot equivalent unit ship was built in China and delivered to Maersk in February 2026, and is capable of running off of alcohol-based fuels such as ethanol and methanol.
"Achieving lower-emission logistics requires turning new technologies into practical, scalable solutions," said Maersk regional president for North America, Ditlev Blicher. "This bunkering operation aboard Tangier Maersk provides valuable real-world experience with alternative fuels in commercial shipping. The insights gained will help drive the development of more sustainable supply chains."
The fuel blend was provided by U.S. company POET, which bills itself as the world's largest producer of bioethanol. Based out of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, the company says that it produces 3 billion gallons of bioethanol annually, by fermenting corn with yeast at 35 processing facilities spread across nine states. Research from the National Laboratory of the Rockies estimates that bioethanol can cut carbon emissions by 46% compared to petroleum-based fuels, and says existing methanol-capable marine engines can run on ethanol with little or no modification.
