Chinese shipbuilder Zhoushan Changhong International Shipyard is processing an order to build ten LNG-powered behemoths each boasting a 10,300 TEU capacity.
According to a report by a Chinese media outlet, the order is from MSC, the world’s largest container shipping firm, and they are to be delivered between 2026 and 2027.
These 10,000-TEU dual-fuel container ships were developed and designed independently by CIMC’s subsidiary CIMC Ocean Engineering Design and Research Institute (CIMC ORIC).
Their Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI) exceeds the benchmarks set by IMO’s Phase III emissions standards, showcasing a substantial 50 percent reduction. The Container Intensity Indicator (CII) remains well within optimal operational ranges until 2040.
A key aspect of the ships’ design is the incorporation of a dual-fuel main engine and generator, optimized for LNG utilization, and an adaptable configuration that also aligns with the potential for the use of ammonia and methanol as marine fuel.
The latest order emerges on the back of a contract signed at the beginning of 2023 when MSC ordered ten 11,500 TEU vessels also powered by LNG.
CIMC ORIC is the designer of these ships as well and the delivery of the newbuilds will be spread between 2025 and 2026.
Furthermore, the ships have been designed with fuel efficiency in mind and they have 5 pct lower fuel consumption when compared to their counterparts of the same size.
Aside from the dual-fuel propulsion, enabling the vessels to run on both LNG and conventional fuel, the ships will also adopt the most-advanced ammonia-ready design.
The container shipping titan has been a strong advocate of LNG as a marine fuel and has recently joined the SEA LNG coalition with the aim of collaborating with the organization on exploring the prospects of bio-LNG, particularly renewable synthetic LNG.
“In alignment with our net zero commitments by 2050, we view fossil-based LNG as a fuel in transition and fully expect bio and renewable synthetic LNG to be a key part of our long-term multi-fuel strategy for deploying net zero fuels,” Bud Darr, Executive Vice President, Maritime Policy & Government Affairs at MSC Group, said.
Earlier this year, MSC emerged as the first ocean carrier to surpass a staggering 5 million TEU in fleet capacity, growing its fleet from 4 million TEU to 5 million TEU in a mere 22 months.
Alphaliner’s calculations show that MSC has purchased 306 containerships with a capacity of 1.2 million TEU since August 2020, basically buying any ship the company could get its hands on.
The Swiss-based container shipping giant MSC has the largest orderbook by far in the industry with around 130 containerships on order.
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