Why The Maersk Institute Was Right About Ship Batteries But Wrong On Price - CleanTechnica

The Maersk McKinney Møller Center’s report on battery-powered vessels provides a valuable and accurate assessment of battery-hybrid propulsion as a critical tool for decarbonizing shipping. It correctly highlights the efficiency advantages of batteries over internal combustion engines and the potential for significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and local pollution through partial electrification. These insights align well with emerging market trends and the growing importance of hybrid systems in maritime transport. However, the report’s economic analysis is undermined by outdated assumptions about battery costs. The Maersk study used battery prices of $200–$300 per kWh, concluding that battery-hybrid vessels would only break even under ideal conditions or with strong policy support, especially for deep-sea and medium-range routes. In contrast, real-world auction prices for lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery systems in China have plummeted to around $51 per kWh as of mid-2025, dramatically improving the economics of maritime battery hybrids. LFP