On September 24, CSSC Huangpu Wenchong Shipbuilding signed a contract with Thailand’s Regional Container Lines (RCL) to build four “Honghu”-series 3,100 TEU container ships. With this new order, the total number of container ships under construction for RCL at Huangpu Wenchong has reached 16, marking the continued deepening of the strategic partnership between the two parties. The order portfolio includes 8 4,488-TEU container ships, 4 1,900-TEU container ships, and 4 3,100-TEU container ships.
The 3,100 TEU container ship is part of the “Honghu” series of container ships independently developed by Huangpu Wenchong. The vessel has a total length of 199.99 meters, a beam of 35.2 meters, and a design speed of 18.5 knots. It features a high container capacity, a large refrigerated container capacity, and the ability to load 2,500 mm-wide containers on deck, along with a moderate speed.
The vessel offers low fuel consumption and a range of 15,000 nautical miles, meets IMO Tier III nitrogen oxide emission standards, and balances cargo capacity with operational efficiency, making it well-suited for RCL’s route network in Asia.
It is understood that Huangpu Wenchong’s first collaboration with RCL began in 2024. At that time, the two parties signed a contract for four 4,488-TEU container ships, which was expanded to eight vessels later that same year, with each vessel costing approximately $56.6 million. In August 2026, the two parties joined forces again to sign a contract for four 1,900-TEU container ships, with each vessel costing approximately $32 million, scheduled for delivery in 2028.
The contract for these four “Honghu” 3,100 TEU container ships marks the third collaboration between Huangpu Wenchong and RCL in the new shipbuilding sector, reflecting RCL’s full recognition of Huangpu Wenchong’s shipbuilding quality, project execution capabilities, and technical expertise in green vessel R&D.
Thailand-based Regional Container Lines (RCL) is a long-established liner company in Asia, primarily providing liner and container feeder services across East Asia, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and the Indian subcontinent; its fleet currently comprises over 30 container ships. On September 24, 2026, Huangpu Wenchong delivered the 4,488 TEU container vessel ANITTA BHUM to the company, while two sister ships—the BENYAPAR BHUM and CHANTISA BHUM—were named on the same day.
Huangpu Wenchong is a key shipbuilding enterprise under the China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC). Its commercial shipbuilding portfolio features feeder container ships, general cargo vessels, dredgers, offshore engineering vessels, and scientific research ships. The company has established serial production lines for feeder container ships in various sizes—including 1,100 TEU, 1,500 TEU, 1,900 TEU, 2,700 TEU, 3,000 TEU, and 3,400 TEU—with the “Honghu” series (1,900 TEU and 3,000 TEU) standing out as its flagship products.