MOL Orders World's Biggest Container Ships

Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) has announced the signing of a deal for the construction of four 20,150 TEU container ships with Samsung Heavy Industries. The capacity of the ships makes them the biggest container ships ordered to date.

MOL also concluded an MoU for the long-term charter of two 20,150 TEU container ships with Shoei Kisen Kaisha (SKK). The two container ships will be built at Imabari Shipbuilding in Japan.

The six vessels will be launched and delivered in 2017, and will serve the Asia-Europe service.

The newbuildings will feature various highly advanced energy-saving technologies, which will further reduce fuel consumption and cost, in comparison with the 14,000 TEU vessels that MOL currently operates.

The four ships ordered from Samsung Heavy Industries reportedly cost $155 million each.

Imabari Shipbuilding secured other orders for 20,000 TEU container ships earlier this year and is building a new dry dock facility to accommodate them.

Maersk, MSC, CMA CGM, China Shipping Container Line, United Arab Shipping Co and Evergreen have, or will soon have, ships with over 18,000 TEU capacity.

Drewry reports that the total capacity of ships 18,000 TEU and above, either active or on order, has now passed the one million TEU mark.

Main Specifications

Shipbuilding company            Samsung Heavy Industries     Imabari Shipbuilding

Length                                                400.0m                                    400.0m

Breadth                                               58.8m                                     58.5m

Designed draft                                     14.5m                                     14.5m

Load draft                                           16.0m                                      16.0m

TEU capacity                                      20,150 TEU                              20,150 TEU

Main engine                                        MAN B&W G95ME                   MAN B&W G95ME