Shipping line commits to four methanol powered vessels
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Wallenius Wilhelmsen ASA has signed a letter of intent for delivery of four 9,350 car-equivalent unit (CEU) methanol-capable and ammonia-ready vessels and individual options for an additional eight vessels.
The four vessels will be delivered from mid-2026 and onwards by Jinling Shipyard in Jiangsu, China.
“We are securing our position as our customers’ first choice in shipping and delivering on our strategy to provide a net-zero emission free end-to-end service by 2027,” said Xavier Leroi, EVP and COO shipping services Wallenius Wilhelmsen.
The vessel class will be named “The Shaper Class,” showing the company’s commitment to a net-zero ambition.“There is an urgent need for our industry to transform over the next couple of years. As a company, we are determined to shape this industry and lead the way to capitalize effectively on changing circumstances, as we grow with customers and partners sharing our journey,” said Lasse Kristoffersen, CEO and president Wallenius Wilhelmsen.
“We believe that methanol is the fastest way to net-zero emission, and the ordered vessels can upon delivery use alternative fuel sources such as methanol. The vessels will also be ammonia-ready and can be converted as soon as green ammonia becomes available in a safe and secure way,” Leroi said.
Wallenius Wilhelmsen is the world’s largest RoRo vessel operator and has set a strategy to maintain a fleet of 125 to 135 vessels. New vessels are an integral part of the fleet strategy, and the key to accelerating the journey towards net-zero emissions.
“With the new vessels, we can accelerate our operations towards net-zero. This requires new and more expensive fuels and we are committed to securing this together with our customers as soon as it can be made available,” says Leroi.
The Wallenius Wilhelmsen group specializes in roll-on/roll-off (RoRo) shipping and vehicle logistics, managing the distribution of cars, trucks, rolling equipment, and breakbulk to customers all over the world. The company operates around 125 vessels servicing 15 trade routes to six continents, a global inland distribution network, 66 processing centres, and eight marine terminals.
Headquartered in Oslo, Norway, the Wallenius Wilhelmsen group has 8,875 employees in 29 countries worldwide.
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