Switzerland-based shipping giant MSC has taken delivery of its first LNG-powered containership, MSC Washington, as the company looks to decarbonize its operations.
China’s Yangzijiang Shipbuilding in Jiangsu said in a statement it has delivered the 14,280-teu vessel during a virtual ceremony held on March 24.
The 335 meters long vessel is the first LNG dual-fuel containership in MSC’s fleet, but the shipping company with about 600 vessels is working on a fleet of such vessels.
Back in 2020, Greathorse Shipping, a subsidiary of Tiger Group, ordered two sister ships at Yangzijang Shipbuilding. Each vessel has a price tag of about $110 million, according to VesselsValue.
Earlier this month, LNG Prime reported citing shipbuilding sources that MSC bought the LNG-powered MSC Washington and the sister vessel, MSC Virginia. MSC previously chartered the ships from Greathorse.
![MSC welcomes first LNG-powered containership in its fleet](https://lngprime.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/MSC-welcomes-first-LNG-powered-containership-in-its-fleet-2.jpg)
Yangzijiang Shipbuilding said in the statement it had delivered the vessel to Tiger One Container Limited, a unit of Tiger.
The shipbuilder did not mention anything about the change of ownership. It previously said that MSC would charter the LNG-powered containership.
This new vessel features a type C bi-lobe LNG tank that can store about 12,300 cbm of LNG.
Singapore-based LNG fuel system specialist C-LNG Solutions claims this is the world’s largest type C LNG tank.
In addition, this is also the first Neopanamax container vessel that features this type of LNG tank, C-LNG previously said.
Besides the giant tank, the vessel has WinGD 9X92DF dual-fuel engine.