Taiwanese container carrier Yang Ming Marine Transport has signed a shipbuilding contract with South Korea’s Hanwha Ocean for six 13,650 TEU LNG dual-fuel containerships, strengthening its fleet renewal and alternative-fuel strategy.
The new vessels are scheduled for delivery between 2028 and 2029 and will be deployed on Yang Ming’s East-West services, providing flexibility across routes connecting Asia with North America, South America and the Mediterranean.
LNG Dual-Fuel Propulsion
The vessels will be equipped with LNG dual-fuel propulsion and designed to be ammonia-ready, allowing the ships to potentially transition to ammonia as a marine fuel as the alternative-fuel infrastructure develops.
Yang Ming expects LNG propulsion to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 20% compared with conventional marine fuels.
The ships will feature Type B LNG fuel tanks and several energy-saving technologies, including wind shields, rudder bulbs and pre-swirl stators. Shore-power systems will also be installed to reduce emissions while vessels are berthed.
Smart and Efficient Ships
The new containerships will incorporate smart-ship technologies and cybersecurity systems to support safer and more efficient operations.
The combination of fuel-saving technologies, LNG propulsion and future ammonia capability is intended to improve both environmental performance and operational flexibility over the vessels’ operating lives.
Part of Wider Fleet Renewal
The six-ship order forms part of Yang Ming’s broader plan to introduce 24 new vessels by 2030.
The programme includes 18 LNG dual-fuel containerships comprising five 15,500 TEU ships, seven 16,000 TEU vessels and the six 13,650 TEU ships covered by the latest contract. A further six 8,000 TEU vessels will be built with methanol dual-fuel-ready specifications.
The fleet programme is designed to replace older tonnage while increasing Yang Ming’s capacity and strengthening its ability to deploy vessels across major East-West trade lanes.
Supporting Long-Term Decarbonisation
The order reflects Yang Ming’s strategy of combining fleet expansion with a gradual shift toward lower-carbon propulsion technologies.
By adding LNG dual-fuel vessels with ammonia-ready specifications, the carrier aims to improve near-term emissions performance while retaining options for future fuel transitions.
The latest investment also strengthens Yang Ming’s position in the growing market for large, more fuel-efficient containerships as liner operators continue to renew fleets and prepare for tighter environmental requirements.