The CEO of Hapag-Lloyd envisions the use of nuclear power for ships.
The Hamburg-based shipping company, Hapag-Lloyd, is aiming to achieve a climate-neutral status by 2045. One potential solution being considered by the company's CEO, Rolf Habben Jansen, is the utilization of nuclear energy. According to Jansen, nuclear propulsion could not only help mitigate greenhouse gas emissions but could also enable container ships to sail faster.
Hapag-Lloyd's CEO expressed his positive outlook on nuclear reactors, stating they hold "certain potential" as they can significantly contribute to decarbonization efforts. He further noted that the use of nuclear power could also be advantageous from a financial standpoint. With the prospect of lesser fuel costs and reduced CO2 emissions, Habben Jansen mentioned that their fleet has subsequently sailed at a slower speed of about 1.0 to 1.5 knots compared to previous speeds.
The 57-year-old executive has primarily been focused on exploring "green" fuels such as "green" methanol to reduce carbon footprint. However, Jansen highlighted that modern liquid salt reactors are not akin to the large-scale nuclear facilities used in military aircraft carriers. He emphasized that it could still take several years before the company can ascertain if nuclear propulsion is a viable option. "We might know only in the next decade," he said.
Founded in 1847, Hapag-Lloyd operates a fleet of approximately 266 container ships with an annual transport volume of 11.9 million standard containers. While the company ranks fifth among major container shipping companies globally, others such as MSC from Switzerland, Maersk from Denmark, CMA/CGM from France, and Cosco from China hold larger stakes in the industry. IMC from Singapore and Evergreen from Taiwan follow closely.
