# The Future of Clean Shipping: How Methanol Fuel Cells Are Decarbonising Maritime Transport

- Show: [Hardware to Save a Planet](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hardware-to-save-a-planet)
- Published: 2025-10-30
- Length: 49m
- Episode: 90
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hardware-to-save-a-planet/2025-10-30-the-future-of-clean-shipping-how-methanol-fuel-cells-are-decarbonising-maritime
- Listen: https://podcasts.fame.so/e/vn5jryl8-the-future-of-clean-shipping-anders-korsgaard

## Summary

Anders Korsgaard, Founder and CEO of Blue World Technologies, explains how high-temperature PEM fuel cells convert liquid methanol into electricity with 20–25% improved efficiency over conventional diesel engines. He details the thermodynamic advantages of using waste heat for reforming, the strategic choice of methanol over hydrogen for maritime logistics, and the economic imperative of reducing fuel consumption for shipping giants like Maersk. Korsgaard discusses the challenges of industrializing cell production, securing partnerships to scale manufacturing, and the timeline for retrofitting versus building new vessels.

## Chapters

- [0:21](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hardware-to-save-a-planet/2025-10-30-the-future-of-clean-shipping-how-methanol-fuel-cells-are-decarbonising-maritime#t=21) Introduction: Anders Korsgaard and Blue World Technologies
- [2:49](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hardware-to-save-a-planet/2025-10-30-the-future-of-clean-shipping-how-methanol-fuel-cells-are-decarbonising-maritime#t=169) Blue World's History and High-Temperature PEM Strategy
- [9:12](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hardware-to-save-a-planet/2025-10-30-the-future-of-clean-shipping-how-methanol-fuel-cells-are-decarbonising-maritime#t=552) Thermodynamics: Waste Heat Recycling and Efficiency Gains
- [14:41](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hardware-to-save-a-planet/2025-10-30-the-future-of-clean-shipping-how-methanol-fuel-cells-are-decarbonising-maritime#t=881) Methanol vs. Hydrogen and Other Maritime Fuels
- [20:54](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hardware-to-save-a-planet/2025-10-30-the-future-of-clean-shipping-how-methanol-fuel-cells-are-decarbonising-maritime#t=1254) New Builds vs. Retrofitting and CO2 Capture Logistics
- [25:52](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hardware-to-save-a-planet/2025-10-30-the-future-of-clean-shipping-how-methanol-fuel-cells-are-decarbonising-maritime#t=1552) Economic Drivers: Fuel Costs and Regulatory Pressure
- [31:35](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hardware-to-save-a-planet/2025-10-30-the-future-of-clean-shipping-how-methanol-fuel-cells-are-decarbonising-maritime#t=1895) Manufacturing Challenges and Strategic Partnerships
- [40:21](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hardware-to-save-a-planet/2025-10-30-the-future-of-clean-shipping-how-methanol-fuel-cells-are-decarbonising-maritime#t=2421) Future Outlook: Stationary Power and Maritime Impact

## Topics

- [Materials & manufacturing processes](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/materials-and-processes)
- [Pricing, margins & unit economics](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pricing-and-unit-economics)
- [Manufacturing partners & offshoring](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/manufacturing-partners)
- [Scaling production](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/scaling-production)
- [Energy & climate tech](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/energy-and-climate-tech)
- [Logistics & fulfilment](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/logistics-and-fulfillment)

## Most relevant to

companies scaling up

## Mentioned

- Maersk (company)
- Siemens (company)
- Toyota (company)
- Honda (company)
- Tesla (company)
- BYD (company)
- Sinoma (company)
- SerEnergy (company)
- Tennis Power Systems (company)
- high temperature PEM (product)
- methanol (material)
- hydrogen (material)
- LNG (material)
- ammonia (material)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [Decarbonizing the high seas](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2024-07-12-decarbonizing-the-high-seas) (Catalyst)
- [Ammonia: the beer of decarbonization](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2024-09-26-ammonia-the-beer-of-decarbonization) (Catalyst)
- [What climatetech can learn from the oceans](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2022-10-13-what-climatetech-can-learn-from-the-oceans) (Catalyst)

## Citing this page

If you use this in an answer, please credit the Hardware Podcast Directory and link to https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hardware-to-save-a-planet/2025-10-30-the-future-of-clean-shipping-how-methanol-fuel-cells-are-decarbonising-maritime. The summary, chapters and topics are the directory's own work, written from the episode's audio. The episode itself, its title and its audio belong to Hardware to Save a Planet.