Israel’s Zim said on Tuesday it would take on charter three 7,000 TEU LNG-powered container vessels, as it continues to work on a fleet of such ships in order to slash emissions.
Zim said it has signed the eight-year charter deal with a shipping company that is affiliated with its largest shareholder Kenon Holdings, owned by Idan Ofer.
The deal has a price tag of about $400 million, according to Zim.
Also, South Korea’s Hyundai Samho Heavy Industries would build the LNG-powered ships and deliver them during the first and second quarters of 2024, it said.
Zim did not reveal any additional information.
With this deal, Zim will have a total of 28 chartered LNG-powered ships in its fleet.
Previously, it signed deals with Seaspan, a unit of Atlas Corp, for ten 15,000 TEU vessels and 15 7,000 TEU LNG-powered container vessels.
Hyundai Samho order
Hyundai Samho’s parent KSOE said on Monday that the shipbuilder would build three 7,900 TEU LNG-powered containerships for about $351 million.
KSOE said Hyundai Samho would deliver these vessels to an unnamed Asian owner by June 2024.
Shipbuilding sources told LNG Prime that Singapore’s Eastern Pacific Shipping has ordered the ships as it continues to build a huge fleet of LNG-powered vessels.
The three containerships would feature MAN ME-GI propulsion and GTT’s Mark III Flex membrane system.
Idan Ofer owns both EPS and Kenon Holdings.