Wallenius Wilhelmsen takes options on 4 methanol dual-fuel PCTCs

Scandinavian line Wallenius Wilhelmsen has taken options to build four additional Shaper-class pure car and truck carrier (PCTC) vessels

This latest commitment brings the total number of Shaper-class vessels currently on order with Jinling Shipyard (Jiangsu) to eight. Wallenius Wilhelmsen also retains further options.  

The four newly ordered vessels are expected to be delivered between May and November 2027.

In 2023, the Oslo-listed operator placed the initial order with China’s Jinling Shipyard Jiangsu to build and deliver an initial quartet of 9,300 CEU ships in mid-2026.

The vessels, developed in collaboration with ship designer Deltamarin, came with individual options for an additional eight units. The order is part of Wallenius’ goal of achieving a net-zero emissions integrated supply chain service by 2027.

The 9,300-CEU methanol dual-fuel vessels will be able to run on lower-carbon fuels such as methanol upon delivery. The company said these ships will also be ammonia ready, meaning they can be converted as soon as the fuel becomes available as a “cost-effective commercial option”.

Wallenius Wilhelmsen said the development of the design took more than 18 months and cited difficulties linked to a lack of regulatory or market-driven direction on which fuels will dominate in maritime’s decarbonisation era.

Wallenius Wilhelmsen chief operating officer of shipping services Xavier Leroi also hinted at investor expectations around the company’s need to replace older tonnage exiting the fleet as a factor in its decision.

Höegh Autoliners has taken a similar choice in its recent newbuild ordering plans. Höegh initially ordered eight Aurora-class vessels from China Merchants Heavy Industry (Jiangsu) shipyard, with further options to add up to eight more vessels in batches of four. The company recently exercised options to build four additional multi-fuel and ammonia-ready PCTCs.

Höegh Autoliners also has the option to convert one or more of these vessels to ammonia propulsion as soon as the technology is available. 

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