Hapag-Lloyd ordered in December 2020 six, 250,000 dwt, ultra large containerships to be built by Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering for a total $1 billion but the order was expanded in 2021 from six to 12 containerships.
The new class has approximately 20% percent more capacity than Hapag Lloyd’s largest ships, the A 19 Class, had been built in 2015 and 2016 and were part of the acquisition of United Arab Shipping Co. (USAC).
Berlin Express is running till August to the Middle East before shifting to the Northern Europe route.
The new class of ship has a capacity of 23,664 teu including 1,500 reefer plugs. They are 1,312 feet in length and operate with a crew of 25. The ships are being registered in Germany.
Berlin Express and her sister ships are being built with MAN ME-GI main engines able to run on both conventional marine diesel as well as liquified natural gas. Hapag Lloyd joined the operators using LNG in June 2021 with the conversion of one of its existing ships to LNG. According to the company, the new ships are capable of a speed of up to 22 knots and the LNG system can operate the main engine as well as auxiliary engines and boilers.
"With the investment in these large container ships, we will not only be able to reduce our unit costs and improve our competitiveness in Europe-Far East trade, but also take a significant step in the modernisation of our fleet," said Rolf Habben Jansen, CEO of Hapag-Lloyd.
The Berlin Express will sail on the line’s route between the Far East and the Arabian Gulf and then transfer to her permanent route called the Far East Loop which sails between China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Singapore to Spain, Belgium, the Netherlands, the UK, and Germany.
The second ship of the class, Manila Express, will be delivered in August 2023. Delivery of the entire class of 12 ships is due to be completed before the end of 2024.
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