VESSEL REVIEW | Maersk El Palomar – Methanol-ready boxship boasts 12,800TEU capacity

Japan Marine United (JMU) has handed over the first in a new series of five container vessels ordered by Danish shipping company A.P. Moller – Maersk. Maersk El Palomar and its four sisters will be owned by a Japanese company and leased to Maersk for the latter's worldwide operations.

The new vessel is designed to be suitable for a wide range of operating areas, ensuring high loading capacity while also being energy-efficient and environmentally friendly. JMU has used its own technology to launch this new model that achieves high levels of environmental performance, loading performance, and fuel performance.

Increased capacity coupled with enhanced durability

Maersk El Palomar has an LOA of 335 metres (1,100 feet), a beam of 51 metres (170 feet), a depth of 27.1 metres (88.9 feet), a draught of 16 metres (52 feet), a gross tonnage of 127,832, and space for 30 crewmembers. The main engine is a Mitsui-MAN-B&W 7G95ME-C10.5 diesel.

The vessel adopts a methanol fuel-ready design. Through the latest analysis technology, JMU developed the optimal ship type for high efficiency, and optimised the company's unique energy-saving bulbous bow, stabilising fins, and rudder to achieve high fuel efficiency for a 12,800TEU container ship, allowing the ship to meet the requirements of the third stage of the Ship Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI).

In order to meet increased demand for reefer transportation, JMU developed this series of vessel with the reefer capacity increased to 2,500. Brittle crack propagation suppression technology for ultra-thick and high-strength steel plates has also been applied to the ship, thus improving safety without compromising loading efficiency.

Minimal carbon footprint

To satisfy environmental regulations, the vessel is fitted with a desulphurisation unit and shore power charging equipment. The latter feature will provide the vessel with electrical power for cargo loading and unloading in port without relying on the onboard diesel generators.

Maersk El Palomar was built in compliance with DNV class rules, including the Fuel Ready, Clean (Tier III), and SMART (EEN) notations. The ship will sail under the Singaporean flag.