Zephyr & Borée orders five boxships

France’s Zephyr & Borée has finally put pen to paper for a series of five 1,300 teu ships which it claims are zero carbon, in a project that has been many years in the making. New-look containerships have been ordered at Hyundai Mipo Dockyard.

The ships, scheduled for delivery from late 2025 through mid-2026, are costing $62.2m each, which Alphaliner suggests is at least twice the cost of a standard boxship of that size.

The wind-assisted ships come with methanol-powered main engines with a number of French shippers signing long-term shipping commitments to make the investment viable.

Alphaliner is tipping Zephyr & Borée to order another five similar-sized ships soon.