Hudong Zhonghua cuts steel for CMA CGM’s 6th dual-fuel boxship

Chinese shipyard Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding has cut steel for the sixth and final dual-fuel LNG powered 13,000TEU dual-fuel container ships being constructed for France’s CMA CGM.

These vessels are designed to operate using either traditional fuel or liquefied natural gas (LNG).

The 336-metre long and 51-metre wide ship will be equipped with a 14,000 cbm MARK III LNG cargo tank and will be able to load 2,400 containers with a maximum capacity of 13,2000 TEUs.

It will also feature flexible container loading technology and use energy-saving ducts, rudder balls and other devices for improving its performance.

According to Hudong-Zhonghua, the main engine of this type of containership has been upgraded and it adopts the new generation of intelligent control exhaust gas recirculation ( ICER ) system, which, in comparison with the 23000 TEU dual-fuel containership can reduce methane escape in gas mode by 50% and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by more than 28%.

CMA CGM’s 13,000 TEU containerships are part of CMA CGM’s $2.3 billion dual-fuel, LNG-powered containership order from April 2021.

Last month, the French heavyweight returned to Chinese shipyards with a massive order worth $3.06 billion. The company signed a contract with the China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC) for the construction of 16 large container ships.

The order comprises of twelve 15,000 TEU methanol dual-fuel powered large container ships and four 23,000 TEU LNG dual-fuel powered container vessels, a CMA CGM Spokesperson confirmed to Offshore Energy.

The deal is being made as part of CMA CGM’s decarbonization agenda which has seen over 77 ‘green’ ships ordered over the past ten years worth $10.2 billion. These vessels are predominantly LNG-powered and “e-methane ready” vessels of which 32 are already in operation.

The company also has six bio-methanol-powered, e-methanol-ready ships that are scheduled to become available by the end of 2026.