On September 19, Hubei Guangji Green Energy Shipbuilding and France’s Compagnie Maritime Marfret held a grand signing ceremony for the construction project of two 5,000 GT (480 TEU) container ships.
This batch of 5,000 GT (480 TEU) container ships was designed by the Shanghai Ship Research and Design Institute (SDARI). Through optimization of the hull line, the ships achieve energy efficiency and enhanced performance, closely aligning with the shipowner’s requirements for mainline liner operations.
The vessels are classified by Bureau Veritas (BV), with an internationally recognized authority overseeing construction quality and navigational safety throughout the process. The propulsion systems are supplied by CSSC Marine Power Zhenjiang.
As a long-established family-owned shipping company, Compagnie Maritime Marfret was founded in Marseille, France, in 1951. With operations spanning approximately 30 countries and regions worldwide, it is a highly influential liner operator in the Mediterranean region. Compagnie Maritime Marfret has built a strong presence on core routes connecting the Mediterranean to North Africa, the Caribbean, and the South Pacific, earning widespread market trust through its reliable weekly sailings and integrated door-to-door services.
Guangji Green Energy Shipbuilding specializes in the R&D and manufacturing of green, smart vessels for inland waterways and coastal waters, and is committed to becoming a world-leading provider of comprehensive new-energy ship solutions. In just one year, the shipyard constructed a smart new-energy shipyard covering 1.3 million square meters, with an annual steel processing capacity of 200,000 metric tons.
The facility features three intelligent steel processing lines, 24 sets of small-assembly welding robots, 10 standardized shipbuilding berths, and a 500-ton gantry crane—all of which demonstrate the deep integration of cutting-edge equipment and digital technology. The success of its transformation—characterized by the “integration of green and smart technologies and the unification of software and hardware”—has been effectively translated into strong market competitiveness.
Since the facility began operations this year, it has seen a steady stream of domestic and international shipowners. Following orders from Dubai in June, Norway in July, and Singapore in September, this marks the fourth international order secured by Guangji Green Energy Shipbuilding this year. The company’s total order backlog has now exceeded 4 billion yuan.
The vessel features a forward-bridge, aft-engine configuration, equipped with twin engines, twin propellers, and twin rudders, as well as an electric bow thruster; it is designed for coastal navigation. Its principal dimensions are: length overall 129.98 m, moulded breadth 23.90 m, moulded depth 11.00 m, and design draft 6.60 m. It has a service speed of approximately 10.8 knots and a crew complement of 13.