Maersk has signed a contract for eight large vessels with New Times Shipbuilding Co. Ltd. in China. All eight ships will have the same characteristics and make up a new series of 18,600 TEU vessels with delivery in 2029 and 2030.
‘We are pleased to have signed this agreement for eight large vessels. The order is part of our ongoing fleet renewal and helps maintain our fleet’s competitive edge,’ says Anda Cristescu, Head of Chartering & Newbuilding at Maersk.
At 366 metres in length and 58.6 metres in breadth, these vessels are more compact than the current maximum container vessel length of 400 metres.
Cristescu: ‘Deployment flexibility has been a key factor in our decision-making. Although these vessels are large, they offer greater flexibility than the largest ships currently being built in our industry. This provides us with multiple deployment options across both our current and future network.’
Also read: One Hapag-Lloyd-Maersk Gemini service to transit Red Sea
Dual fuel
The ships will be equipped with dual-fuel engines able to operate on conventional bunker fuel or liquified gas.
Following this new order, Maersk now has 33 vessels on order, with four scheduled for delivery in the remainder of 2026.
Picture: Visual of the 18,600-TEU container vessel ordered by Maersk (image by Maersk).
