SFL Corporation has ordered LNG dual-fuel containerships from China's New Times Shipbuilding, according to shipbuilding sources. The deal includes the construction of five LNG-powered containerships with a capacity of 16,000 teu, sources told LNG Prime. The price of the vessels or the delivery dates have not been revealed.
According to SFL’s website, the company has 34 container vessels in its fleet, including partly-owned ships and acquired vessels yet to be delivered.
SFL’s container vessels serve charter deals with Switzerland-based MSC, Germany’s Hapag-Lloyd, and Denmark’s Maersk, with whom SFL secured new charter extensions during the first quarter of this year.
Both MSC and Hapag-Lloyd have LNG-powered containerships in their fleets. MSC, who is building a huge fleet of LNG-powered containerships, also has LNG-powered vessels on order at New Times.
Lately, there have been talks in the industry that Maersk is also interested in chartering LNG-powered ships.
This move would represent a significant turn for Maersk that has been one of the biggest supporters of methanol-powered ships.
LNG Prime previously contacted Maersk to comment on the potential charter of LNG-powered vessels, but we did not receive a reply.
John Fredriksen-controlled SFL currently has no LNG-powered containerships in its fleet, but the company already owns LNG-powered pure car and truck carriers and chemical carriers.
Earlier this year, SFL purchased two LNG dual-fuel chemical carriers for about $114 million.
The firm also arranged long-term employment for the vessels with affiliates of Stolt Tankers, a unit of Stolt-Nielsen.
Moreover, China’s Guangzhou Shipyard International (GSI) delivered in March this year SFL’s fourth and final LNG dual-fuel PCTC, Thor Highway.
In September 2023, GSI delivered the first LNG-powered PCTC in this batch, Emden, followed by the delivery of Wolfsburg in November.
Both of these PCTCs serve a long-term charter with German giant Volkswagen Group.
GSI delivered Odin Highway in January this year and this vessel and Thor Highway work for K Line under charter deals.