HZ joins post-Panamax club

The Shanghai-based Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding (HZ) facility is the first Chinese yard to win a contract for post-Panamax container ships with a five-ship deal from China Shipping. China’s largest domestic built container ships will be capable of carrying 8,530 TEUs and the lead ship is scheduled for delivery in 2007.

The 90,500 DWT vessels will be 334 metres long, 42.8 metres wide and have a maximum speed of 27 knots. The last unit in the five-ship series is slated for delivery in October 2008 and will be among the largest container ships in the world.