Cosco places record order of 87 new ships

Chinese shipping company Cosco has ordered 87 newbuild ships from China State Shipbuilding Corp (CSSC). With a total value of over USD 7 billion converted, it is the largest domestic ship order in China in history.

The ships are intended for various divisions of the Chinese shipping conglomerate. The order includes mega container ships and oil tankers (very large crude carriers – vlccs) as well as grain ships and other bulk carriers, heavy lift vessels and multi purpose ships. Smaller container ships and tankers are also part of the order. The construction of the ships is divided among several shipyards under CSSC.

Alternative fuels

According to reports from China, the large order means not only an expansion of the Cosco fleet, but also a modernisation: ships will be made suitable to run on alternative fuels and receive additional energy-efficient designs.

The use of wind-assisted ship propulsion does not seem to be an issue here. Although China is a global leader in the use of renewable energy on land, Cosco is apparently still betting on marginal fuel savings and emission reductions with this mega-order, rather than taking advantage of the wind-assisted systems that are also developed domestically.

Source: including a report by Paul Jumelet in the Schuttevaer (subscribers only).

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