On May 25, Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding held a naming ceremony at its western shipyard for the “ESL Singapore,” the first vessel in a series of 14,000 TEU large container ships being built for the German shipowner Peter Döhle.
It is reported that the “ESL Singapore,” which was named on this occasion, is a new-generation medium-to-large container ship independently developed and built by Hudong-Zhonghua. With a total length of 335 meters, a beam of 51 meters, a draft of 30.2 meters, and a designed draft of 17 meters, the vessel boasts robust and reliable cargo-carrying capacity through its scientifically optimized dimensions.
The vessel is equipped with the world’s first methanol-ready 6×92-1.1 main engine, which integrates a permanent magnet shaft generator to significantly improve energy efficiency and deliver outstanding operational performance characterized by low energy consumption and high cargo capacity. Additionally, it features a dual-fuel design compatible with both methanol and ammonia—two promising green fuels of the future—enabling seamless adaptation to clean, low-carbon energy applications and aligning closely with the trend toward green shipping.
Hudong-Zhonghua stated that during construction, the vessel’s design was independently optimized by integrating the hull structure with major outfitting components, significantly reducing the ship’s deadweight and further enhancing its overall operational capabilities, with its overall performance reaching world-class standards. The vessel innovatively adopted a “scaffold-free compartment” construction model, promoting lean production and achieving efficient construction. This resulted in a high pre-assembly rate and enhanced integration, ensuring both the implementation of new construction processes and advancements in environmental sustainability.
It is understood that Peter Döhle has placed an order with Hudong-Zhonghua for a total of four 14,000-TEU methanol-ready large container ships. This marks the German shipowner’s first major order in China in many years and represents the first collaboration between the two parties in the newbuild market. At the time, industry sources disclosed that the construction cost per vessel was approximately $150 million, bringing the total cost for the four ships to about $600 million.