On May 28, China Merchants Jinling Shipyard (Nanjing) officially held a naming ceremony in Yizheng, Jiangsu, for the “ARCTIC TERN,” the first 9,300 CEU methanol-dual-fuel PCTC built for EUKOR, a subsidiary of Wallenius Wilhelmsen.
Chairman of EUKOR Lasse Kristoffersen, CEO Xavier Leroi, Deputy General Manager of China Merchants Shipbuilding Industry Group Zheng Hehui, General Manager of China Merchants Jinling Shipyard (Nanjing) Jiang Jiazhong, Senior Vice Presidents of EUKOR Morten Skedsmo and Geir Fagerheim, General Manager of DNV Greater China North Region Yan Xiaolin, Executive Vice President of Survey at KR Kim Sung-joo, as well as relevant principals from DNV, KR, Clarkson, DELTAMARIN Design Institute, China Merchants Jinling Shipyard (Jiangsu), attended the event.
In October 2023, Wallenius Wilhelmsen and China Merchants Jinling Shipyard (Nanjing) signed a shipbuilding contract for 4+4+4 9,300 CEU methanol-dual-fuel PCTCs. In February 2024, the first four optional vessels were confirmed, with delivery scheduled between May and November 2027; In March, an agreement was signed for the construction of an additional 4 optional vessels; in May, the subsequent 4 optional vessels were confirmed, bringing the total order volume to 12+4 9,300 CEU PCTCs.
In September 2024, Wallenius Wilhelmsen announced that it would upgrade 4 9,300 CEU PCTCs to 11,700 CEU capacity; In November, the company announced the exercise of options for two 11,700 CEU PCTCs and the upgrade of two 9,300 CEU PCTCs to 11,700 CEU capacity.
To date, Wallenius Wilhelmsen has confirmed at least 14 PCTCs with China Merchants Jinling Shipyard (Nanjing), including eight 11,700 CEU PCTCs and six 9,300 CEU PCTCs.
It is worth noting that, according to an announcement by the design firm Deltamarin, the six 11,700 CEU PCTCs ordered by Wallenius Wilhelmsen from China Merchants Jinling Shipyard (Nanjing) have been further upgraded to 12,100 CEU vessels, making this vessel type the largest PCTC ever built.