Swiss container shipping giant MSC has ordered up to eight 22,000 TEU liquefied natural gas (LNG) dual-fuel containerships in China.
On February 21, 2025, Zhoushan Changhong International Shipyard revealed it signed a contract for 4+2+2 eco-friendly units with MSC.
“The 22,000 TEU LNG dual-fuel container ship signed with Mediterranean Shipping Company is not only the largest and most advanced container ship type currently built by Changhong International, but also the largest ship type project under construction in Zhejiang Province,” the shipbuilder said.
As informed, this is the second cooperation between the two parties following the shipbuilding projects involving ten 11,500 TEU, ten 10,300 TEU and a dozen 19,000 TEU LNG dual-fuel containerships.
The 22,000 TEU containership concept was independently developed by CIMC Ocean Engineering Design & Research Institute (CIMC ORIC). The boxship has a total length of 366 meters, a beam of 61.3 meters, and a depth of 33.2 meters.
In late December 2024, MSC also placed an order for ten 24,000 TEU LNG dual-fuel units at Hengli Heavy Industries, Dalian, China.
MSC’s ordering spree comes as companies increasingly prepare their fleets for new environmental regulations and replace aging parts of their fleets.
According to Alphaliner’s TOP 100 list, the MSC fleet currently comprises 888 vessels, of which 595 are owned and 293 chartered. What is more, the company has 129 ships on order.