China Shipping Container Lines (CSCL) is gunning to own the biggest container ships in the world with a recent order for five 19,000-TEU (20-foot-equivalent unit) newbuilds.
South Korean shipyard Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) said on January 21 it has begun building the first of the five mega ships, which is due for delivery in November. The rest are scheduled for delivery by the end of the first quarter of 2015.
“The shipowner upgraded the original order for five 18,400-TEU containerships to ones capable of delivering 600 more containers,” HHI said in a media release. “These new ships will be the largest container ships ever built.”
The box vessels will be bigger than Maersk Line’s four recently delivered 18,270-TEU vessels, currently the world’s largest.
The CSCL ships will have a length of 400 meters, width of 58.6 meters, and height of 30.5 meters. Their electronically controlled 77,200-horsepower main engine is designed to maximize fuel efficiency, and reduce noise, vibrations, and carbon emissions. Other features include two high-tech seawater-treatment systems.
Meanwhile, Pacific International Lines (PIL) has taken delivery of the Kota Lestari, the last of four 4,253-TEU vessels the Singapore carrier ordered from Dalian New Shipyard in February 2011.
The ship will be utilized on the Asia-Mexico-WCSA Loop 2 operated by Evergreen Line, Cosco Container Lines, PIL, and Wan Hai Lines.
