China’s Zhoushan Changhong International Shipyard has started building two more LNG-powered containerships for Switzerland-based shipping giant MSC.
According to a statement by Zhoushan Changhong, the shipbuilder held a steel-cutting ceremony on Thursday for two 11,500-teu vessels, CHB 2029 and CHB 2030.
These are the third and the fourth LNG-powered vessels Zhoushan Changhong will build for MSC.
In October 2023, the shipbuilder kicked off work on the first two vessels.
MSC first ordered ten LNG dual-fuel 11,500-teu vessels at the shipbuilder and after that added ten LNG dual-fuel 11,300-teu vessels.
CIMC ORIC, a unit of China International Marine Containers (CIMC), designed these containerships.
CIMC is a shareholder in Zhoushan Changhong via its leasing unit.
These two DNV-classed 335 meters long and 45.6 meters wide ships will have a design speed of 20 knots.
Zhoushan Changhong said that these 11,500-teu vessels will feature the largest type C LNG fuel storage tank in its class, allowing them to complete a single round trip on China-Europe or China-US routes.
The shipbuilder will deliver these vessels in 2025 and 2026 and the other ten ships during the second half of 2026 and 2027.