Taiwan’s Yang Ming Marine Transport has finally put pen to paper on an order for five LNG dual-fuel 15,500-teu boxship newbuildings at HD Hyundai Heavy Industries (HD HHI).
The liner giant said the order of the new large container ships was part of the company’s mid to long -term fleet plan.
“In response to the maritime net zero carbon emission target by 2050, Yang Ming is continuously building a green and energy-saving fleet,” said the company.
“On top of implementing energy-efficiency retrofits and management on the existing fleet, a dedicated desk has been set up to monitor energy efficiency and the development of future marine fuels.”
Yang Ming said the newbuildings will be equipped with high-pressure LNG dual-fuel main engines and ballast water treatment systems to meet the latest environmental regulations.
The vessels will feature an advanced integrated system for navigational information and operation monitoring, as well as broadband maritime satellite system.
“These technologies are integral for collecting navigational big data and enhancing the safety of the vessels,” said Yang Ming.
The liner operator did not disclose the newbuilding price of the 15,500-teu ships but brokers suggested it will be paying between $175m and $195m per ship.
HD HHI is scheduled to deliver the units in 2026.
Yang Ming has been planning to order the quintet since mid-2021. It floated the newbuilding tender last summer.
Six or seven shipbuilding companies including Samsung Heavy Industries, Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering, Yangzijiang Shipbuilding, Jiangnan Shipyard and Nippon Shipyard, a joint venture between Imabari Shipbuilding and Japan Marine United were reported to have submitted bids for the project.
Yang Ming is one of the partners in THE Alliance — which involves Hapag-Lloyd, Ocean Network Express and South Korea’s HMM. The Taiwanese liner operator is said to be the only member in THE Alliance to have not ordered dual-fuelled ships.
Yang Ming is the world’s ninth largest liner company, according to Alphaliner. Its operating fleet comprises 94 vessels, with a capacity of approximately 715,000-teu.
“With these five 15,500-teu LNG dual-fuel container vessels, we will be able to optimise our fleet, reduce operating costs, and improve carbon emission reduction. These new vessels will facilitate greater flexibility in vessel deployment, enhance the company’s overall competitiveness, and provide comprehensive,” said Yang Ming.
