Hapag-Lloyd orders 24 new container ships

Hapag-Lloyd has signed two contracts with two Chinese shipyards for a total of 24 new container ships.

Of these, 12 newbuildings – each with a capacity of 16,800 TEU – will be built by Yangzijiang Shipbuilding Group, says an official release. "These units will be used to expand the capacity of services that are already in place. An additional 12 ships, each with a capacity of 9,200 TEU, have been ordered from New Times Shipbuilding Company, and will replace older units in the Hapag-Lloyd fleet that will be nearing the end of their service life in this decade."

All of the newbuildings will be equipped with state-of-the-art low emission high pressure liquefied gas dual-fuel engines that are extremely fuel-efficient, the release added. "In addition, these vessels can be operated using biomethane, which can reduce CO2e emissions by up to 95 percent compared to conventional propulsion systems. The new ships will also be ammonia-ready."

Hapag-Lloyd will take delivery of the new vessels between 2027 and 2029. The newbuildings will have a combined capacity of 312,000 TEU and involve a combined investment volume of around $4 billion.

“This investment is one of the largest in the recent history of Hapag-Lloyd, and it represents a significant milestone for our company as it pursues the goals of its Strategy 2030, such as to grow while also modernising and decarbonizing our fleet," says Rolf Habben Jansen, CEO,Hapag-Lloyd. "Operating a fleet of more efficient vessels will also enhance our competitive position, and thanks to the increase in capacity, we will continue to offer our customers a global, high-quality product."

Hapag-Lloyd controls 287 modern container ships with a total transport capacity of 2.2 million TEU and operates the largest fleet sailing under the German flag, the release added.

First published on logupdateafrica