Bangkok-based container shipping line the RCL Group has selected China Shipbuilding Group subsidiary Huangpu Wenchong Shipbuilding for the construction of two feeder container vessels in a series.
The 4,300TEU vessels will be handed over to RCL in the fourth quarter of 2027 and the first quarter of 2028, respectively. The newbuilding contract has a value of approximately CNY713 million (US$100 million).
The two ships will be fitted with engines that run on traditional fuel but with efficiency-enhancing features that will help reduce fuel consumption by as much as 40 per cent compared to vessels of similar size. Shore power charging capability will also be incorporated to reduce reliance on the onboard generators in supplying electrical power while the ships are berthed.
The new feeder ships' engines can also be modified in the future to allow operation on low-emission alternative fuels if needed.
The vessels are the seventh and eighth 4,300TEU feeder ships that RCL has ordered from the same builder.