Yang Ming Marine Transport has contracted Hanwha Ocean to build seven LNG dual-fuel container vessels each rated at 15,880 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU), with deliveries scheduled between 2028 and 2029.
The seven vessels complement five 15,500 TEU LNG dual-fuel ships already scheduled for delivery from 2026, creating a total of 12 LNG dual-fuel vessels for Yang Ming’s fleet.
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The newbuildings are claimed to be the first in Taiwan to incorporate Ammonia Fuel Ready (AFR) specifications for LNG dual-fuel container vessels and carry the “Ammonia Fuel Ready Level 1C” notation from the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS).
The designs allow for conversion to ammonia dual-fuel propulsion and meet current International Maritime Organization environmental requirements, said Yang Ming.
A Joint Development Project between Hanwha Ocean and ABS produced a Type-B LNG fuel tank for the vessels with a 1.0 bar design pressure.
The tanks are intended to support LNG operations and future shore-power compliance and were developed as an alternative to the conventional 0.7 bar design.
Yang Ming stated that LNG dual-fuel technology can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 20% during the transition to lower-carbon fuels.
The company cited ammonia as a next-generation marine fuel option, noting its zero CO2 emissions during combustion and potential for lower conversion costs when using converted LNG tanks.
It also said that enabling ammonia use would support compliance with future international greenhouse gas regulations.
Yang Ming outlined plans to phase out older vessels, pursue niche market opportunities and expand clean energy solutions to increase capacity and operational efficiency.
The company positioned the new vessel orders as part of a strategy to increase the proportion of ships using green energy within its global service network.
In December 2024, following its 400th board meeting, Yang Ming announced a fleet optimisation plan that involves acquiring up to 13 container vessels, each ranging from 8,000 to 15,000 TEU, to improve its service network and fleet competitiveness.
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