Switzerland-based shipping line MSC has ordered two additional 16,000 TEU LNG-ready container vessels in China as it looks to decarbonize its operations.
China’s Guangzhou Shipyard International (GSI) said in a statement it would build two scrubber-fitted LNG-ready vessels following a deal for six such ships in March this year.
MSC has teamed up with CMB Leasing for the project, according to GSI.
To remind, LNG Prime reported in April that MSC had placed orders for thirteen 16,000 TEU LNG-ready containerships with Dalian Shipbuilding and GSI, both controlled by CSSC.
The contract had a price tag of about $1.52 billion or about $116 million per ship.
Coupled with that deal, GSI will in total build eight LNG-ready container vessels.
According to GSI, the vessels will be 366 meters long and 51 meters wide.
The yard said it would start building the ships in early 2022 but it did not reveal any additional information.
Besides these LNG-ready vessels, MSC has also earlier this year signed a deal with Singapore’s Eastern Pacific Shipping to charter eleven 15,300 TEU LNG-powered containerships.
The Geneva-based shipping line, which has a fleet of 570 vessels, previously said it continues to “envisage a range of fuel solutions on the route to a zero-carbon future.”
In that regard, it also recently signed a deal with LNG giant Shell to work on slashing emissions in the shipping industry. This deal also includes LNG as fuel.