Japanese Shipper Orders Six LNG Capable Container Ships

Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) announced that the company has signed a deal for construction of four 20,000 TEU containerships with Samsung Heavy Industries. MOL also concluded an MOU for long-term chartering of two 20,000 TEU containerships with Shoei Kisen Kaisha. The main engines have the specifications which enable LNG use as fuel in the future remodeling. The two containerships will be built at Imabari Shipbuilding in Imabari-shi, Ehime Prefecture.

The six vessels will be launched and delivered in 2017 and will serve the Asia-Europe service. The 20,000 TEU type is the world’s largest among delivered and on order containerships. The new building vessels will adopt various highly advanced energy-saving technologies, which will further reduce fuel consumption and cost, in comparison with 14,000 TEU types that MOL currently operates.