Mærsk confirms order for ten 18,000 teu ships

Mærsk Line has signed a contract with South Korea’s Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering confirming all predictions that it was to build ten 18,000 teu ships, with an option for an additional 20 vessels.


Each vessel will cost US$190m, initially taking the total contract order to US$1.9bn, rising to US$5.7bn if all 30 ships are built.


Scheduled for delivery between 2013 and 2015 and to be known as the ‘Triple-E’ class, providing 16% greater (2,500 containers) carrying capacity than today’s largest container vessel, their own, E-class ‘Emma Mærsk’.


This is perhaps the first admission by Mærsk of the true capacity of the E-class ships headed by the 'Emma Mærsk', which were launched in 2006 and were originally put out as being 11,000 teu.


According to the company, this new class of vessel will change entirely the shipping industry’s understanding of size and efficiency. The ‘Triple-E’ designation refers to the three main purposes — ‘Economy’ of scale, ‘Energy’ efficient and ‘Environmentally’ improved'.


Mærsk backs this claim by stating that these new vessels will not only set a new benchmark for size but will produce 50% less CO2 than the industry average on the Asia-Europe trade lane. Additional, they will consume approximately 35% less fuel per container than a 13,000 teu ship on the same trade.


The vessels will be 400 metres long, 59 metres wide and 73 metres high, making them the largest vessel of any type known to be in operation, with two ‘ultra-long stroke’ engines turning two propellers. An advanced waste heat recovery system will capture and reuse energy from the engines’ exhaust gas for extra propulsion with less fuel consumption.


“One of the biggest challenges we face in the world today is how to meet the growing needs of a growing population and the impact that is going to have on our planet; for the health of the planet, we must continue to reduce our CO2 emissions,” said Eivind Kolding, CEO of Mærsk Line.


The company added that it is buying the ships to position itself to profit from the 5-8% growth that it expects in trade from Asia to Europe and to maintain its industry leading market share in the trade.


If ever there was a declaration from a shipping line that it sees the economic downturn as well and truly over, this is it.
(Source:http://www.container-mag.com)