Seatrade Maritime: Hapag-Lloyd orders eight dual-fuel vessels in $500m deal

German carrier Hapag-Lloyd has confirmed its order for eight dual fuel vessels from Chinese shipbuilder CIMC Raffles for delivery in 2028 and 2029, with an agreement to charter a further 14 feeder ships.

Hapag had signposted its intention to replace ageing feeder ships and shuttles in November, with the CEO Rolf Habben Jansen saying that the company would build 22 vessels of between 1,800 and 4,500 teu.

All eight vessels in today’s confirmed $500m order are 4,500 teu in size and will be equipped with methanol and diesel dual-fuel engines which will reduce carbon emissions by up to 30%, saving up to 350,000 tonnes of carbon equivalent emissions annually, said the carrier.

Another four vessels of 1,800 teu, six units of 3,500 teu and four ships of 4,500 teu will be delivered between 2027 and 2029, these ships will be on long-term charter to the carrier.

“Continuously modernising our fleet is firmly anchored in our Strategy 2030,” said Jansen, “The new ships will help replace older tonnage, further decarbonize the Hapag-Lloyd fleet, and reduce our dependence on the charter market. What’s more, operating these state-of-the-art ships will be much more cost-efficient.”

Modernisation of Hapag’s fleet remains a key element of the carrier’s drive to meet emissions standards, with an agreement reached with charterer Seaspan to convert five vessels of 10,100 teu to methanol propulsion next year and in 2027.

In November 2024, the carrier also agreed a contract with methanol supplier Goldwind to deliver 250,000 tonnes of bio and e-methanol fuel to the company, which will reduce operational emissions by at least 70%, according to Hapag-LLoyd. The company is targeting net zero emissions by 2045.