Hapag-Lloyd has contracted Chinese shipyard CIMC Raffles for its first newbuild dual-fuel methanol container ships. The eight 4500-TEU units are scheduled for delivery in 2028 and 2029. The investment volume amounts to more than USD 500 million.
The new ships will be equipped with state-of-the-art dual-fuel methanol engines. They will be up to thirty per cent more efficient than older generations of ships in the same size class and will be able to save up to 350,000 metric tonnes of CO2e per year when using methanol propulsion.
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First newbuild methanol ships, 22 new ships in total
The ships, which are part of Hapag-Lloyd’s first newbuild project involving this sustainable propulsion technology, will complement the growing portfolio of dual-fuel container ships in the company’s fleet: At present, a total of 37 dual-fuel liquefied natural gas (LNG) units that can also operate using biomethane are in operation or planned.
Furthermore, it was decided that another fourteen newbuildings in the size classes 1800 TEU (four units), 3500 TEU (six units) and 4500 TEU (four units) will be chartered on a long-term basis. The ships will be delivered between 2027 and 2029. As previously announced on November 13, 2025, Hapag-Lloyd is thus investing in a total of 22 new vessels in the segment with a capacity of less than 5000 TEU.
Also read: Hapag-Lloyd orders 24 ammonia-ready container ships
Methanol conversions and methanol supply
In addition, in April 2024, Hapag-Lloyd had already agreed with Seaspan Corporation to have five 10,100-TEU container ships converted to dual-fuel methanol propulsion in 2026 and 2027.
Moreover, in November 2024, Hapag-Lloyd had concluded an agreement with the Chinese energy producer Goldwind for the supply of 250,000 metric tonnes of green methanol per year. The green methanol, which will consist of a mixture of biomethanol and e-methanol, will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 70 percent and thereby comply with all current sustainability certifications.
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Net-zero by 2045
‘Continuously modernising our fleet is firmly anchored in our Strategy 2030. The new ships will help replace older tonnage, further decarbonise the Hapag-Lloyd fleet, and reduce our dependence on the charter market. What’s more, operating these state-of-the-art ships will be much more cost-efficient,’ says Rolf Habben Jansen, CEO of Hapag-Lloyd AG.
By 2030, the company plans to reduce the absolute greenhouse gas emissions of its fleet operations by around one third compared to 2022. Net-zero fleet operations are to be achieved by 2045.
Picture by Hapag-Lloyd.
Also read: Hapag-Lloyd and Seaspan to retrofit five vessels to methanol propulsion
