ElbFeeder, the joint venture of Eimskip and Ernst Russ, has signed contracts with China Merchants Jin Ling Shipyard (Nanjing) Co. Ltd. for two container vessels of 2,280 TEU capacity each. The deliveries are scheduled for the second half of 2028. With these newbuildings, the ElbFeeder fleet will expand to a total of nine vessels, according to Ernst Russ's release.
The agreement also includes options for two additional ships. The vessels will be employed in the Eimskip Blue Line service between Reykjavik and Rotterdam under a 10-year time-charter contract signed alongside the newbuilding deal. The ships are designed with dual-fuel propulsion systems, LNG- and methanol-ready, and developed in cooperation with the Shanghai Merchant Ship Design and Research Institute (SDARI). They will feature an optimized hull structure for hydrodynamic performance, higher service speeds, and fuel efficiency on North Atlantic routes.
Financing will be structured through a mix of equity and debt.
Eimskip is an Icelandic transportation company established in 1914 and headquartered in Reykjavík. It is organized as a publicly listed company and operates globally in container and reefer liner services, land transport, warehousing, and freight forwarding.
Ernst Russ AG is a publicly listed ship-owning company headquartered in Hamburg, Germany. It manages a diversified fleet of container vessels and other ships and operates internationally as part of the maritime transport sector.
China Merchants Jin Ling Shipyard (Nanjing) Co. Ltd. is a subsidiary of China Merchants Industry Group, a state-owned enterprise in China. The company specializes in shipbuilding, including container vessels and other maritime projects.
Shanghai Merchant Ship Design and Research Institute (SDARI) is a ship design and research organization under China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC), providing technical development and design services for a wide range of commercial vessels.