According to the news on May 24, Wallenius Wilhelmsen, the Norwegian operator of car carriers, announced that it has exercised options for four “Shaper”-class 9,350 CEU methanol dual-fuel PCTCs from China Merchants Jinling Shipyard. This is the latest option order signed between the two parties in March 2024. The latest four newbuildings to come into effect have earlier delivery dates compared to the originally held options and are expected to be delivered in late 2027 to early 2028.
Together with the four newbuildings that have recently come into force, Wallenius Wilhelmsen has ordered 12 “Shaper”-class 9,350 CEU methanol dual-fuel PCTCs from China Merchants Jinling Shipyard, with options for a further four units of the same type.
Although the two parties have not announced the contract value, according to the shipbroker Fearnley Securities, the price of each PCTC is estimated to be between $120 million and $130 million. On this basis, if the remaining four options come into effect, the total value of the 16 new shipbuildings order would be in the range of $1.92 billion to $2.08 billion.
It is understood that the two parts signed a letter of intent for the construction of 4+4+4 9,350 CEU methanol dual-fuel PCTCs in August 2023, and on October 24 of the same year, they formally signed a shipbuilding contract, with the first batch of 4 PCTCs scheduled to be delivered starting from the second half of 2026.
On February 27, 2024, Wallenius Wilhelmsen announced the entering into force of the first option order for 4 PCTCs, which is expected to be delivered between May and November 2027, and on March 26 of the same year, the parties reached an agreement on a further four option PCTCs, which is the option order in force on this occasion.
Developed by Wallenius Wilhelmsen in cooperation with Deltamarin, a Finnish ship design company, the PCTCs meet EEDI 3 and Tier III and are named “Shaper” class. At the end of last year, Deltamarin signed a turnkey contract with China Merchants Jinling Shipyard for the design of the first batch of 4+4+4 new PCTCs, for which Deltamarin will provide complete basic and detailed design services. Previously, Deltamarin has completed the conceptual design of this PCTC.
The shipowner believes that methanol is the fastest way to net-zero emissions, and the series of PCTCs, all of which can run on methanol fuel and in the future can be retrofitted to run on ammonia fuel, symbolizes the transformation and upgrading of Wallenius Wilhelmsen.
Currently, Wallenius Wilhelmsen has a fleet of 125 to 135 vessels serving 15 trade routes to six continents, a global inland distribution network, 66 processing centers and 8 marine terminals.
In recent years, China Merchants Jinling Shipyard has accumulated rich experience in the application of hybrid power in Ro-Ro vessels, and has successfully built a complete industrial chain system in design and construction of Ro-Ro vessels, and has become a “hidden champion” in the field of Ro-Ro vessel construction in the world.