In 2020, Hapag-Lloyd first ordered six LNG dual-fuel containerships with a capacity of 23,660 teu from Hanwha Ocean, previously known as DSME, and it added six more sister vessels in 2021.
These orders are worth about $2 billion, and Hapag-Lloyd recently took delivery of the ninth vessel in this series, Bangkok Express.
The new batch of LNG dual-fuel vessels will be smaller than these ships.
They will have a capacity of 16,800 teu and are said to be each worth about $200 million.
It remains unclear whether Hanwha Ocean and Hapag-Lloyd have already signed the shipbuilding deal or if the two firms have yet to sign the contract.
Intermodal and other brokers said that the deal had already been signed, with deliveries scheduled to start in 2027.
Sources told LNG Prime that Hapag-Lloyd has decided not to exercise its option at China’s Yangzijiang Shipbuilding for six LNG dual-fuel vessels with a capacity of 16,800 teu.
The German firms instead opted to order the vessels at Hanwha Ocean.
In November last year, Hapag-Lloyd signed contracts with Yangzijiang Shipbuilding and New Times Shipbuilding for a total of 24 LNG dual-fuel containerships.
The deals are worth about $4 billion.
Of these, Yangzijiang Shipbuilding will build 12 vessels each with a capacity of 16,800 teu.
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 NTS.
These vessels will replace older units in the Hapag-Lloyd fleet that will be nearing the end of their service life in this decade.
Hapag-Lloyd will take delivery of the new vessels between 2027 and 2029.
In addition to newbuild vessels, Hapag-Lloyd operates the converted containership Brussels Express, the world’s first ultra-large containership LNG retrofit.
