The 15,000 TEU vessel arrived at the Shanghai yard on August
31 for the retrofit works including the installation of a 6,500-cbm GTT LNG
fuel tank.
To remind, German container shipping line tapped CSSC’s
Hudong-Zhongua for the conversion project early last year. The state-owned yard
is a shareholder in Huarun Dadong.
The project has been affected by the ongoing Covid-19
pandemic as Hapag-Lloyd previously planned to start the works in May.
The world’s first large contairneship conversion to LNG
power has a price tag of about $30 million.
This pilot project will help Hapag-Lloyd to decide on future
LNG conversions but also paves the way for other boxship owners looking to
slash emissions and comply with more stringent IMO rules.
Besides new tanks, the ship’s fuel system and its existing
heavy fuel oil-burning MAN engine will switch to dual-fuel power. This includes
LNG and low-sulphur fuel oil as a backup.
Hapag-Lloyd inherited the LNG-ready Sajir after its takeover
of UASC back in 2017. Its 16 sister ships are also LNG-ready and fit for
retrofitting.
Huarun Dadong expects to complete the retrofit works on
Sajir by year-end.
This year will probably mark many firsts for ultra large
LNG-powered containerships. Besides the first conversion, the world will see
the delivery of the first two giant LNG-powered newbuilds.
As previously reported, Offshore Energy understands that CMA
CGM’s 23,000 TEU Jacques Saade will be delivered to the owner this month.
The world’s largest LNG-powered vessel will serve the
Europe-Asia route. It will bunker LNG from the MOL-owned and Total-chartered
Gas Agility that recently arrived off Rotterdam.
Besides this vessel, CMA CGM has additional eighth sister
ships on order at Hudong-Zhonghua and its unit Jiangnan.
Furthermore, the French shipping group is also involved in
the second LNG containership delivery slated for this month, but this time as a
charterer.
Eastern Pacific Shipping’s 15,000 TEU Tenere has completed
gas trials in South Korea and is ready to start work.
The French firm will charter all of the six sister vessels
scheduled for delivery from Hyundai Samho by 2022.