Maersk employees innovate a system to deliver fresh water from Maersk’s vessels to ports
A team of three employees of A.P. Moller – Maersk (Maersk), who are former seafarers, decided to undertake an innovative project that could store and deliver fresh water from vessels to ports, according to the company's release.
Cargo ships undertaking global trade are equipped with fresh water generator systems that produce clean drinking water by distilling sea water using heat energy harnessed from their engines. Traditionally, this system has been used to generate water for consumption only onboard the vessels. However, the excess water produced has been overlooked. Through this innovative project, this untapped resource has been capitalised on by optimising the process and storing the excess water in tank containers before delivering it to ports.
Each vessel can fill two tank containers on an average sea voyage between two ports. With the process optimised and tank containers stored at the right location onboard, two tank containers with a combined capacity of 50,000 litres can be filled with fresh water. Amongst the first pilot runs were the deliveries at the Port of Colombo and Port of Salalah of two tank containers, each filled with 25,000 litres of fresh water.
The water quality, tested by the Ceylon Institute of Scientific & Industrial Research, an official Sri Lankan Government laboratory, met all World Health Organisation (WHO) standards, underscoring the project's commitment to safety and sustainability. Furthermore, a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) study conducted by the Danish Technical University has provided valuable insights into the project's environmental impact, comparing it favourably against traditional tanker truck water delivery methods.
A.P. Moller - Maersk is an integrated logistics company working to connect and simplify its customers’ supply chains. The company operates in more than 130 countries and employs around 100,000 people. Maersk is aiming to reach net zero emissions by 2040 across the entire business with new technologies, new vessels, and green fuels.
