Sources told LNG Prime on Thursday that the change in order to LNG fuel includes eight methanol dual-fuel ready vessels with a capacity of 16,000 TEU.
Four of these ships will be built by Samsung Heavy and four by HD Hyundai Samho.
Last month, LNG Prime was the first to report, citing sources, that Wan Hai Lines was considering switching this order to LNG fuel.
These will be the first LNG dual-fuel containerships in Wan Hai’s fleet.
The sources said that Wan Hai is expected to pay more than $30 million more per vessel for the LNG fuel switch.
Powered by MAN ME-GI engines, the vessel’s LNG tanks will be equipped with GTT’s Mark III Flex containment tech, according to the sources.
The vessels are expected to be delivered in 2027.
In October 2024, Wan Hai Lines announced orders for eight methanol dual-fuel ready vessels with a capacity of 16,000 teu.
Wan Hai said at the time that the Samsung Heavy vessels were each priced from $187 million to $204 million, or $750.5 million to $816 million for the entire order.
On the other hand, the Hyundai Samho vessels were each priced from $186.4 million to $204 million, or $745.9 million to $816 million for the entire order.
Orders for LNG-powered vessels jumped 103 percent to 264 ships last year, driven by the container and car carrier newbuild boom over the last three years, according to classification society DNV.
In 2024, 69 percent of all containership orders were for ships capable of being powered by alternative fuels, driven by cargo owners responding to consumer demands for more sustainable practices and liner companies preparing to replace older tonnage, DNV said.
