LNG Prime reported on August 23, citing sources, that MSC was looking to order LNG dual-fuel containerships with a capacity of 21,000 teu.
Hengli Heavy and Gianluigi Aponte-led MSC signed a strategic cooperation framework agreement in Geneva on August 23.
The two firms agreed to collaborate in a wide range of areas, including shipbuilding, engine manufacturing, ship repair, and vessel retrofitting.
Shipbuilding sources told LNG Prime on Monday that MSC and Hengly Heavy signed a shipbuilding agreement for ten LNG dual-fuel vessels with a capacity of 21,000 teu.
The vessels will feature ME-GI propulsion and type C LNG tanks.
The delivery dates or the price tag of the deal have not been revealed.
MSC recently booked 12 LNG dual-fuel vessels at Zhoushan Changhong International Shipyard.
These vessels will have a capacity of 19,000 teu.
VesselsValue data shows that these containerships are each worth about $210 million.
This means that the order at Hengli Heavy could be worth more than $2.1 billion.
Zhoushan Changhong is already building a fleet of LNG-powered vessels for MSC.
Last year, MSC ordered ten LNG dual-fuel 11,500-teu vessels from the shipbuilder and then added ten LNG dual-fuel 11,300-teu vessels.
The shipbuilder will deliver the first batch of the vessels in 2025 and 2026 and the other ten ships during the second half of 2026 and 2027.
According to Alphaliner, MSC is the world’s largest liner with 6,107,433 teu and a 20 percent share. Denmark’s Maersk is second, and France’s CMA CGM is third.
Maersk recently confirmed its switch to LNG fuel, while CMA CGM is one of the world’s largest backers of LNG as fuel.
