Hapag-Lloyd has moved ahead with its fleet renewal programme by ordering eight dual-fuel methanol container ships from China’s CIMC Raffles and agreeing long-term charters for a further 14 feeder vessels.
The eight newbuilds will each have a capacity of 4,500 teu, with deliveries scheduled between 2028 and 2029. Hapag-Lloyd said the investment exceeds $500 million and represents its first newbuilding project built around methanol propulsion.
The ships will be equipped with dual-fuel engines able to run on both methanol and conventional fuel. According to the carrier, the vessels are designed to be up to 30% more efficient than older ships of a similar size and, when operating on methanol, could reduce emissions by up to 350,000 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent a year.
These orders build on Hapag-Lloyd’s existing alternative-fuel programme. The company already has 37 LNG dual-fuel ships either in service or under construction, which are capable of using biomethane as fuel.
In parallel with the CIMC Raffles deal, the Hamburg-based line has signed long-term charter agreements for 14 additional feeder ships. The package covers four vessels of 1,800 teu, six of 3,500 teu and four of 4,500 teu, with deliveries staggered between 2027 and 2029. Taken together, the owned and chartered ships mean Hapag-Lloyd is adding 22 vessels below 5,000 teu, in line with plans outlined earlier this year.
Chief executive Rolf Habben Jansen said modernising the fleet remains a key element of the company’s Strategy 2030. He noted that the new tonnage is intended to replace older ships, lower emissions from the Hapag-Lloyd fleet and reduce reliance on the charter market, while also easing operating costs.
The methanol-powered newbuilds sit alongside other steps the carrier is taking to cut emissions. Hapag-Lloyd has an agreement with Seaspan to convert five 10,100 teu vessels to methanol dual-fuel capability in 2026 and 2027. The company also signed a supply deal last year with China’s Goldwind for 250,000 tonnes of green methanol per year. The planned fuel mix of bio-methanol and e-methanol is expected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 70%.
Hapag-Lloyd is targeting a one-third reduction in absolute fleet emissions by 2030 compared with 2022 levels and aims to achieve net-zero operations by 2045. As of the end of September, the line operated more than 300 ships with a combined capacity of about 2.5 million teu, ranking it as the world’s fifth-largest container carrier.
