MPC Container Ships (MPCC) has taken delivery of the “NCL Vestland”, the first of two newbuildings in the “Greenbox” series. She will be sailing off Norway in future.
With their dual-fuel main engines, the two feeders ordered in China are designed directly for the use of methanol as fuel and have a capacity of 1,300 TEU. They have the necessary ice class for year-round operation along the west coast of Norway.
According to MPCC, this innovative ship has been chartered to North Sea Container Line for 15 years and is therefore named “NCL Vestland”. After delivery by the shipyard, the ship will soon be christened in Europe.
The Hamburg-based MPC Group had previously ordered six “Ecobox” newbuildings in Korea – four of them on behalf of the Norwegian ship investor Ocean Yield and two on behalf of MPC Container Ships (MPCC). They were built by the Korean shipyard HJ Shipbuilding & Construction (formerly Hanjin).
These Neo-Panamax ships, which are being chartered by the Israeli carrier ZIM, are initially designed for the use of fossil fuel, but are also technically prepared for a later conversion to methanol.
Another feeder (also 1,300 TEU) ordered by MPCC together with Unifeeder at the beginning of 2024 is due to be delivered at the end of 2026. With ice class 1A, this newbuilding is intended for Baltic Sea traffic.
