As fuel costs and sustainability increasingly become critical considerations in container shipping, United Arab Shipping Company (UASC) has named what it said is the industry’s first ever liquefied natural gas (LNG)-ready ultra-large container vessel.
The MV “Sajir” is also the first in the liner’s current newbuilding program comprised of 17 of the world’s most eco-efficient vessels, said the company in a statement.
The DNV GL-classed A15 vessel has a capacity of 15,000 twenty-foot-equivalent units (TEUs) and is touted to be the largest and most eco-efficient ship in this capacity range.
The company estimates it has an Energy Efficiency Design Index value that is close to 50% below the 2025 limit established by the International Maritime Organization.
The ship will start operating on the Asia-North Europe route after delivery. Ten further A15 vessels and six 18,800-TEU (A18) box ships will be delivered from Hyundai Heavy Industries and Hyundai Samho Heavy Industries shipyards by mid-2016.
“At UASC, we see efficiency as a key competitive differentiator in an increasing competitive market,” said group chairman Salem Ali Al Zaabi. “The ‘Sajir’ perfectly embodies this ethos and, as the first of 17 vessels in our current newbuilding program, represents an important milestone in the evolution of UASC.”
“These highly efficient vessels help us significantly reduce the amount of fuel we consume per container,” said Jorn Hinge, president and CEO. “The A15 vessels go beyond what regulations require and set new standards in terms of efficient, safe and sustainable operations.”
“Energy efficiency and sustainability are instrumental in developing and constructing state of the art container ships—and the A15 vessels fall in this category,” said Choi Kil-Seon, Chairman and CEO of Hyundai Heavy Industries.
The CO2 output per TEU for this new vessel class will be 22% less than for a 13,500-TEU vessel delivered only two years ago. The A15 class is further designed and prepared for a quick and cost-efficient LNG retrofit at a later stage.
