China’s Zhoushan Changhong International Shipyard has delivered MSC’s first LNG dual-fuel containership with a capacity of 11,500 teu.
According to a statement by the shipbuilder, MSC Leila’s naming and delivery ceremony took place on May 26.
Zhoushan Changhong noted this is the first cooperation between the yard and MSC, and it is also the largest LNG-fueled containership built in the Zhejiang province.
In November 2024, the shipbuilder launched this vessel and its sister ship MSC Insa.
The DNV-classed vessels are 335 meters and 45.6 meters wide, with a design speed of 20 knots.
Zhoushan Changhong said the vessels feature type C LNG fuel storage tanks, which allow them to complete a single round trip on China-Europe or China-US routes.
CIMC ORIC, a unit of China International Marine Containers (CIMC), designed these new containerships.
CIMC is a shareholder in Zhoushan Changhong via its leasing unit.
Zhoushan Changhong said that MSC currently has 36 LNG dual-fuel vessels on order at the yard.
The Switzerland-based shipping giant first ordered ten LNG dual-fuel 11,500-teu vessels from 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.
Last year, MSC booked 12 LNG dual-fuel vessels at Zhoushan Changhong. These containerships will have a capacity of 19,000 teu.
Most recently, MSC booked four firm LNG dual-fuel container vessels at the yard.
Zhoushan Changhong said these LNG dual-fuel container vessels will have a capacity of 21,700 teu.
