Hong Kong-based shipping firm Orient Overseas Container Line (OOCL) has placed orders for 12 dual-fuel LNG container ships.
The firm has signed shipbuilding contracts with Hudong‑Zhonghua Shipbuilding, OOCL said in a statement on its website on Thursday.
The 13,600 TEU capacity ships will be capable of operating on LNG as well as conventional marine fuels and will represent the first LNG-fuelled ships in OOCL’s fleet.
While LNG is becoming a more widely available alternative marine fuel than options such as methanol or ammonia, these vessels may still need to transition to lower-carbon fuels such as bio-LNG as emissions rules tighten.
The company said the order followed its assessment of environmental regulations, alternative fuel pathways and fuel supply feasibility.
It has not specified the delivery timeline of the vessels.