Business, Freight News, Sea

Hapag-Lloyd Orders 24 Container Ships

[ November 7, 2024   //   Gary G Burrows ]

Hapag-Lloyd has signed contracts with two Chinese shipyards for a total of 24 new energy efficient container ships, with 312,000 TEUs of total combined capacity, and a combined investment of about US$4 billion.
Twelve 16,800 20-foot-equivalent units will be built by Yangzijiang Shipbuilding Group and will be used to expand the capacity of services already in place. The German shipping line also ordered a dozen 9,200-TEU ships from New Times Shipbuilding Co. Ltd. to replace older units in Hapag-Lloyd’s fleet that will reach their service life in this decade.
The new ships, which will be delivered between 2027 and 2029, will be equipped with modern fuel-efficient, low-emission, high-pressure liquefied natural gas dual-fuel engines. The 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.
“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,” said Rolf Habben Jansen, CEO of Hapag-Lloyd AG.
Hapag-Lloyd said it is fully committed to the 1.5-degree target of the Paris Agreement. By 2030, the absolute greenhouse gas emissions of the company’s fleet operations are to be reduced by around one-third compared to 2022 and achieve net-zero fleet operation by 2045.
The carrier said it will achieve those goals by investing in modern, efficient newbuildings, slow steaming, fleet modernization and the use of new propulsion technologies and alternative fuels to provide multiple green transport options.
Hapag-Lloyd on April 16 announced an agreement with Seaspan Corp. to retrofit and convert five 10,100-TEU container ships powered by convention MAN S90 engines to dual-fuel engine capable of operating on methanol. Once completed, the vessels will continue on long-term charter from Seaspan to Hapag-Lloyd.
Hapag-Lloyd controls 287 modern container ships with a total transport capacity of 2.2 million TEUs.

Tags: Hapag-Lloyd