Mediterranean Shipping Co (MSC) has confirmed a pair of optional feeder ship newbuildings in China but has opted for a different fuelling choice on these vessels over an original pair of firm orders.
Brokers said MSC has booked two 3,700-teu hatchless container ships at Fujian Mawei Shipbuilding in China and chosen to build them as LNG dual-fuelled vessels.
They said the vessels are expected to be priced at more than $70m each.
The boxship giant previously ordered two scrubber-fitted, 3,700-teu container ships at the yard for delivery in 2024.
The vessels are being built to ice-class 1A specifications and are expected to be traded in the Baltic region.
The fuelling switch is yet further evidence that MSC appears to have decided to opt for LNG as its chosen fuel on all its immediate upcoming newbuildings. The company also seems to be ordering more ships directly for its own account.
In November, TradeWinds reported that MSC had signed a letter of intent with Hyundai Heavy Industries in South Korea for a series of six LNG dual-fuelled neo-panamax container ship newbuildings.
Brokers said the ships would each likely cost in the mid to high-$170m price range.
MSC has also made its mark by asking for LNG dual-fuelling on the newbuildings on the charters it is offering to big name owners.
This has resulted in more LNG-fuelled orders with Cido Shipping booking two 15,600-teu vessels at HHI and Zodiac Maritime contracting its first container ships to use LNG with four 15,000-teu ships at Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering.
MSC has also booked LNG-fuelled boxship newbuildings with Seaspan Corp and Chinese leasing companies.
Brokers and consultants said MSC has been continuing its efforts to switch the fuelling choice on some of its container ship newbuildings ordered earlier this year.
Talks are said to have centred on the neo-panamax boxship newbuildings MSC has on order at China's Dalian Shipbuilding Industry Co, Guangzhou Shipyard International and Yangzijiang Shipbuilding.
But, as yet, there has been no word on any progress on making changes to these vessels.
