A2B-online doubles methanol-ready order with shift to China

Dutch shortsea operator A2B-online has doubled its methanol-ready fleet renewal programme to four vessels, switching to China Merchants Industry Weihai Shipyard for a pair of ships designed to pack twice the cargo into its existing North Sea footprint.

The latest contract marks a move to Chinese construction after the company booked its first two newbuildings at Turkey’s Sedef Shipyard in 2023. Those initial vessels, A2B Vision and A2B Progress, are 650 teu methanol-capable ships that have already launched and are preparing for service.

The new Chinese-built pair will feature multi-fuel methanol propulsion, shore power connections, and battery systems. A2B-online stated the design, developed with Hamburg-based Technolog Services, offers double the cargo intake of its older tonnage without a significant increase in vessel length.

While A2B-online has not disclosed the contract price or delivery dates for the latest two ships, the vessels will eventually join the company’s network linking Moerdijk in the Netherlands with the UK ports of Tilbury, Immingham, and Teesport.

The investment targets the progressive replacement of the carrier’s existing fleet of seven Sietas-built containerships. These older vessels date from 1995 to 1999 and lack the efficiency and emission-reduction technology of the new design.

Why it matters

Doubling the cargo intake on a similar vessel footprint fundamentally resets the economics of the Moerdijk-UK trade. By maintaining existing dimensions while increasing capacity, A2B-online can lower its per-unit costs without losing access to the constrained berths or specific tidal windows that define North Sea shortsea operations.

The inclusion of shore power and battery systems provides a direct hedge against tightening port-side emission regulations. Operating emission-free in inland waterways and ports ensures these assets remain compliant as local environmental mandates in the Netherlands and the UK potentially outpace global maritime standards.

The switch from a Turkish yard to China Merchants for the second pair suggests A2B-online is prioritizing scale or delivery speed as it moves to retire its 1990s-era tonnage. With four modern ships now on the way, the company is rapidly shifting from a legacy fleet to one of the most technologically advanced shortsea setups in Northern Europe.

What to watch

The disclosure of delivery dates and specific teu capacity for the Chinese-built pair will reveal how quickly A2B-online can phase out the remaining three Sietas-built vessels in its seven-ship fleet.

Source: Splash247