COSCO SHIPPING names China's first methanol dual-duel container vessel

COSCO SHIPPING launches China's first 16,000-TEU methanol dual-fuel container vessel, marking a major step in green and sustainable shipping.

COSCO SHIPPING names China's first methanol dual-duel container vessel (Photo: COSCO SHIPPING)

On the morning of February 18, China's first 16,000 TEU methanol dual-fuel vontainer vessel, named M.V. COSCO SHIPPING YANGPU, was officially christened in Yangzhou. This event marks an important step for COSCO SHIPPING in developing a green and low-emission strategic industry and promoting the construction of a new fuel fleet.

Notably, this day also coincides with the 9th anniversary of COSCO SHIPPING's restructuring, marking an important milestone in the group's journey of innovation and development.

The naming ceremony was attended by Mr. Chu Bich Tan, Chairman of COSCO SHIPPING; Mr. Ton Van Phi, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of COSCO SHIPPING; Mr. Phan Quoc Cuong, Deputy Secretary of the Municipal Party Committee, Mayor of Yangzhou City; and representatives of related units such as COSCO SHIPPING Holdings, COSCO SHIPPING Heavy Industry and many major partners such as China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation (CSSC), China Classification Society (CCS), American Classification Society (ABS), Jiangsu University of Science and Technology.

Methanol Container Vessel – A New Step in Green Technology and Digitalization

The newly named vessel is the first in a series invested by COSCO SHIPPING Holdings and built by COSCO SHIPPING Heavy Industry Yangzhou. The vessel has an overall length of 366 meters, a design width of 51 meters, and a maximum capacity of 16,136 TEU. It is one of the most advanced container vessels today, converging many breakthroughs in green technology, digitalization, and low emissions.

The commissioning of the vessel not only helps COSCO SHIPPING meet the needs of green transport corridors, but also plays an important role in building a green methanol supply chain, contributing to promoting the sustainable transformation of China's shipping industry.

Methanol – Green Fuel Solution for the Marine Industry

The COSCO SHIPPING YANGPU is designed with a large-capacity methanol tank system, allowing the one-way voyage from the Far East to the West Coast of the United States to be fully fueled by methanol when deployed on COSCO SHIPPING Lines’ Trans-Pacific service. This is a major step forward in optimizing the global green shipping route.

In addition, with the support of the intelligent ship system, the ship achieves excellent energy consumption efficiency, setting a new standard for fuel economy and emission reduction in the marine transportation industry.

Methanol – Environmentally friendly green fuel

Methanol is considered one of the most sustainable marine fuel solutions today thanks to its outstanding advantages:

✔ Contains no nitrogen oxides (NOx) and sulfur (SOx)
✔ Low particulate emissions
✔ Less complicated technology, easy to upgrade
✔ Easy to store and operate, low maintenance costs
✔ High safety, less price fluctuations compared to other fuels

Technology & Innovation – Solid foundation of the project

During the design and construction process, COSCO SHIPPING Heavy Industry has identified 163 research topics, solving a series of technical challenges in the application of methanol fuel. The Group has developed more than 200 sets of specialized documents, and registered and been granted 31 patents related to new energy technology from methanol.

In particular, during the first methanol refueling process, CHIMBUSCO Jiangsu and COSCO SHIPPING Heavy Industry Yangzhou worked closely to develop the "Methanol Refueling Design Scheme for Large Container Ships". The scheme has been granted an approval in principle (AIP) certificate by the China Classification Society (CCS), paving the way for green innovation and emission reduction initiatives in the maritime industry.

With the strategy of expanding and modernizing the fleet, COSCO SHIPPING Holdings is gradually increasing the proportion of ships using clean fuel and renewable energy. In the future, the group will continue to pursue the trend of green development and low emissions, contributing to the sustainable growth of the global shipping industry.

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