Super-large main engine intended for Seaspan’s newbuild passes FAT in China

CSSC-MES Diesel (CMD), a subsidiary of CSSC Power (Group), celebrated a massive milestone last week with the successful completion of the factory acceptance test (FAT) for CMD-MAN 8G95ME-C10.6-EGRTC main engine.

This is the first CMD-MAN 8G95ME-C10.6-EGRTC main engine built by CMD in China.

The testing was held on December 6, with classification societies, shipowners, and shipyards on location unanimously approving the benchmark test performance indicators of the engine.

The engine has a maximum power of 54,960KW, and adopts the latest MK10.6 technology. Its design integrates fuel sequential injection technology (FBIV-S) and sequential supercharging technology (SEQ-TC) to lower fuel consumption. The main engine is also equipped with an exhaust gas recirculation system (EGRTC), enabling vessels to be compliant with the Tier III emission requirements.

The engine is slated for installation on board a 15,500TEU container ship built by Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding for Seaspan.

To remind, Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding and Jiangnan Shipyard, subsidiaries of China State Shipbuilding Corporation Limited (CSSC), won a contract in 2021 to build six 15,500 TEU container vessels for Seaspan.

The ships would feature fuel-saving and emission-reduction technologies, Seaspan said at the time. The scrubber-fitted container ships are slated for deliveries beginning in the second half of 2023 and extending through to mid-year 2024.

Seaspan’s operating fleet consists of 127 vessels with a total capacity of 1,156,630 TEU and an additional 63 vessels under construction.

Earlier this year the Hong Kong-based containership owner canceled the contracts for four 7,700 TEU dual-fuel liquefied natural gas containership newbuildings citing contract breaches. Seaspan ordered the LNG-powered containerships back in May from an undisclosed shipyard. The vessels were scheduled for delivery in the third and fourth quarters of 2024.

Meanwhile, progress is being reported on the construction of its LNG-powered containerships intended for charter with ZIM. Namely, in October ZIM Sammy Ofer, the first in a series of ten 15,000 TEU LNG dual-fuel containerships ordered back in 2021 was launched in Geoje, South Korea.

The construction of the vessel began at the end of 2021 at Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI). The deliveries of the remaining nine containerships are anticipated to begin in the first half of 2023.