German ocean carrier Hapag-Lloyd has signed two contracts with two Chinese shipyards for a total of 24 new container vessels.
Twelve 16,800 TEU newbuildings will be built by Yangzijiang Shipbuilding Group, while another twelve 9,200 TEU new boxships have been ordered from New Times Shipbuilding Company.
Hapag-Lloyd said the 16,800 TEU newbuildings will be used to expand the capacity of services that are already in place, while the 9,200 TEU vessels will replace older units in the company’s fleet.
All of the newbuildings will be equipped with state-of-the-art low emission high pressure liquefied gas dual-fuel engines. In addition, these vessels can be operated using biomethane, which can reduce CO2e emissions by up to 95% compared to conventional propulsion systems. The new ships will also be ammonia-ready.
The Hamburg-based carrier is expected to receive the new vessels between 2027 and 2029. The newbuildings will have a combined capacity of 312,000 TEUs and involve a combined investment volume of around US$4 billion with Hapag-Lloyd stating that a long-term financing of US$3 billion has already been committed.
“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 modernizing and decarbonizing our fleet. 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,” commented Rolf Habben Jansen, CEO of Hapag-Lloyd.
The fifth-largest container shipping company in the world controls 287 modern container ships with a total transport capacity of 2.2 million TEUs.
