ZIM announced a new agreement for the long-term charter of ten 11,500 TEU liquefied natural gas (LNG) dual-fuel container vessels, with a total charter hire consideration of approximately $2.3 billion to serve across ZIM’s various global trades.
The vessels will be constructed at Zhoushan Changhong Shipyard in China, and are expected to be delivered between 2027-2028.
Seven of the vessels will be chartered to ZIM by Containers Ventures Holdings Inc., an affiliate of the TMS Group, and three will be chartered to ZIM by a shipping company affiliated with Kenon Holdings, Ltd.
“After having received all 46 newbuilds we contracted in 2021 and 2022, which significantly improved the efficiency of our operated capacity, we are pleased to further advance our fleet strategy by securing long-term charters for these 11,500 TEU newbuild LNG dual-fuel containerships,” says Eli Glickman, ZIM President and CEO.
“These agreements ensure access to an important vessel segment and further strengthen our core LNG fleet, which is a critical commercial differentiator.
“Importantly, this versatile capacity is ideally suited for ZIM’s various global trades, enhancing our commercial agility and growth potential.”
Eli also explained that ZIM’s decarbonisation objectives are supported by the expansion of the LNG fleet to solidify its position as an industry leader in carbon intensity reduction. Operating LNG capacity has been advantageous for ZIM as they anticipate increased demand for environmentally friendly shipping options.
“The addition of these ten LNG dual-fuel vessels will help keep our modernized fleet competitive and support profitable growth over the long term, benefiting our shareholders,” Eli added.
ZIM’s services in Australia include China Australia Express (CAX), China 2 Australia Express (C2A), and New Zealand to Australia (N2A) lines. These lines support temperature-controlled cargo via a modern reefer fleet.