China’s Dalian Shipbuilding Industry (DSIC) has started building one LNG-powered containership for Switzerland-based shipping giant MSC.
DSIC said in a statement on Monday it held a steel-cutting ceremony for the LNG dual-fuel 16,000-teu containership (C16K-10).
According to DSIC, the dual-fueled ship can carry more than 16,200 containers. It will have 366 meters in length and 51 meters in width and will feature WinGD engines.
In addition, the vessel will feature a type B LNG tank designed by DSIC, the shipbuilder said.
DSIC said that it will build in total eight LNG dual-fuel containerships with a capacity of 16,000 units for MSC.
LNG Prime reported in January last year, citing shipbuilding sources, that MSC was behind an order for six LNG-powered container vessels at CSSC’s DSIC and this containership is probably part of that order.
The shipbuilder said at the time that it will build the vessels for an European owner and that the ships will be ammonia-ready.
VesselsValue data shows that MSC has six 16,000-teu vessels on order at DSIC scheduled for delivery in 2025 and each with a price tag of $180 million.
In addition, MSC has two more containerships with a capacity of 16,000 units on order at DSIC and scheduled for delivery this year, the data shows.
LNG-powered fleet
MSC is building a huge fleet of LNG-powered vessels in order to slash emissions and to comply with new IMO rules.
The shipping firm took delivery of its first LNG-powered containership, MSC Washington, from China’s Yangzijiang Shipbuilding in Jiangsu in March last year, followed by the second vessel, MSC Virginia, in July the same year.
However, MSC, which currently has about 730 vessels in its fleet, rarely comments on newbuild orders or charter deals.
Last year, MSC placed an order for ten 11,500-teu and ten 8,100-teu LNG dual-fuel containerships at China’s New Times Shipbuilding as well.
The firm recently also ordered ten 11,500-teu LNG dual-fuel containerships at China’s Zhoushan Changhong International Shipyard.