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Sources say that MSC is in talks with China’s Hengli Heavy Industry, a part of Hengli Group, to order LNG dual-fuel vessels with a capacity of 21,000 teu.
The shipbuilding deal has not yet been signed, the sources said.
The vessels would feature ME-GI propulsion. Type C LNG tanks are being considered, but there is also an option for membrane and type B tanks.
According to the sources, Hengli is the only yard with “good” available slots.
The shipbuilder recently broke ground to expand its capacity in Dalian.
MSC just booked 12 LNG dual-fuel vessels at Zhoushan Changhong International Shipyard.
These vessels will have a capacity of 19,000 teu.
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 at the shipbuilder and after that 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.
Besides these orders, brokers recently reported that MSC booked six containerships with a capacity of 19,000 teu at China’s SWS, and eight containerships with a capacity of 11,500 teu at Pengai Jinglu. These vessels are also said to be LNG dual-fuel.
The sources could not confirm that MSC placed these orders.
According to Alphaliner, MSC is the world’s largest liner with 6,041,170 teu and a 19.9 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.