As part of their first cooperation, Hamburg-based shipping company Peter Döhle Schiffahrts KG and Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding, a subsidiary of China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC), have signed a contract for the construction of four 14,000 TEU methanol-ready containerships.
The ships will be independently developed and designed by the Chinese shipbuilder, featuring a length of 336 meters, a width of 51 meters, and a depth of 30.2 meters, with an ability to carry 14,170 20-foot standard containers.
The containerships will be methanol-ready and fitted with scrubbers as well as energy-saving devices.
The four ships are scheduled to be delivered to the German shipping company between 2026 and 2027.
In 2023, Hudong-Zhonghua received approvals from ABS, Lloyd’s Register, China Classification Society (CCS), DNV, and Bureau Veritas for its 16,000 TEU methanol-powered containership design.
With the new order, Germany’s Peter Döhle Schiffahrts is jumping on the bandwagon as interest in methanol as a marine fuel keeps growing.
Since the beginning of June 2024, two Taiwanese shipping players ordered methanol-ready containerships in China.
Namely, TS Lines contracted Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding (SWS) for the construction of two methanol-powered 14,000 TEU containerships and Evergreen ordered six 2,400 TEU methanol dual-fuel containerships from CSSC Huangpu Wenchong Shipbuilding Company.