[Offshore Energy/October 28, 2024] As part of its ongoing commitment to decarbonize the fleet, Taiwanese shipping company Wan Hai Lines has placed orders for eight methanol dual-fuel ready containerships at South Korean yards.

Wan Hai, one of the world’s largest container lines, has signed contracts with South Korean shipbuilders Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI) and HD Hyundai Samho, a subsidiary of shipbuilding giant HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering (HD KSOE), to construct four vessels each.

According to the firm’s stock exchange filing, the new deals involve 16,000 TEU vessels, with costs reaching up to $204 million per unit. The price also includes the upgrade of the equipment on the vessels, according to Wan Hai.

The initial costs for the containerships ordered at HD Hyundai Samho are $186.5 million, while SHI’s units have a base price of approximately $187.6 million. The delivery dates for the vessels were not disclosed.

This announcement follows Wan Hai’s earlier commitment to up to twenty methanol-powered 8,000 TEU ships, unveiled in August this year. The vessels will be constructed by CSBC Corporation in Taiwan and HD Hyundai Samho shipyard.

More recently, the Taiwanese shipowner also signed a shipbuilding deal for four methanol dual-fuel containerships with HD Hyundai Samho. These 8,700 TEU units are slated for delivery by May 2027.