Ro-Ro operator Wallenius Wilhelmsen has announced that is has signed a shipbuilding contract with China Merchants Jinling Shipyard Co. for the construction of four methanol-capable, ammonia-ready pure car and truck carriers (PCTC) and up to eight optional units.
It is said that the two parties signed a letter of intent for the construction of the order for the project on August 15 this year. The first vessel is slated for delivery in the second half of 2026.
Developed by Wallenius Wilhelmsen and the ship design company Deltamarin, this series of vessels will be named the Shaper-class. Wallenius Wilhelmsen believes that the use of methanol fuel is the fastest way to net-zero emissions. The series of PCTCs are all methanol fuel-capable and can be retrofitted to use ammonia fuel in the future, symbolizing Wallenius Wilhelmsen’s transformation and upgrading.
As the world’s largest ro-ro operator, Wallenius Wilhelmsen has set a strategy to maintain a fleet of 125 to 135 vessels and is already working with customers to reduce emissions through biofuels. The order will accelerate the company’s progress towards net-zero emissions and help achieve the 2027 net-zero emissions target.
At the same time, Wallenius Wilhelmsen is planning to build a 7,000 CEU ro-ro vessel, the Orcelle Wind, which will be mainly propelled by wind power, with a length of about 220 meters, a beam of about 40 meters, and a sailing speed of 10-12 knots, which can be accelerated by an auxiliary power system. Acceleration is possible through an auxiliary power system. The vessel is scheduled to be completed and commissioned by 2025.
In June this year, Jinling Shipyard signed a contract with Sallaum Lines for the construction of 4 7,400 CEU LNG dual-fuel PCTCs and 2 options units, and the new vessels are scheduled to start delivery in March 2026. With an overall length of 199.9m, a breadth of 37.70m and a draft of 10.20m, the series of vessels feature a groundbreaking dual-fuel LNG design developed by Finland’s Deltamarin, with a total of 13 car decks, which contribute to efficient cargo loading and unloading and maximize operational efficiency. Also, the vessel is equipped with innovative environmental features to meet the International Maritime Organization’s Tier 3 requirements, with state-of-the-art ‘clean’ marking and shore power capability to reduce the carbon footprint during docking. Sallaum Lines has not yet announced the price of the order, but it is reported that the cost of a single vessel will be about $90 million, with the entire contract valued at $540 million.
It is understood that China Merchants Jinling Shipyard, as a leading enterprise in the construction of domestic ro-ro vessels, its ro-ro products 2021 by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology as a single champion product, previously the company designed and manufactured two ro-ro vessel type at the same time was selected for the world’s famous ship directory. Currently, the order in hand to deliver the ship cycle has also been lined up to the year 2026.