Asia?s first 10,000 TEU container ship christened

Asia’s first 10,000 TEU container ship, classed by Lloyd?s Register, was recently christened at Hyundai Heavy Industries? (HHI) yard in Ulsan just days before its scheduled delivery on 6 August to the China Ocean Shipping Group (COSCO), China?s biggest shipping line.

COSCO Asia, designed with a nominal capacity of 10,050 TEU, is the first of four such post-Panamax vessels being built for COSCO Container Lines at HHI?s shipyard. It was classed by Lloyd?s Register to stringent environmental standards, reflecting COSCO?s commitment to its UN Global Compact responsibilities.

“It is fitting that Asia?s first 10,000 TEU container ship should be delivered to COSCO ? an elite maritime organisation from a world-leading maritime nation whose growth has made a major contribution to global shipping,” says David Moorhouse, chairman of LR. “As a leading classification society for container ships, Lloyd?s Register is proud to be involved in this project, and we will continue to help shipowners, shipyards and designers to build the next generation of new vessels.”

The last of the four ships from this series is scheduled to be delivered by the middle of next year.

Earlier this year, COSCO signed a long-term charter for eight 8,500 TEU ships, which also will be built by HHI and will be delivered starting from 2010.

Recent analysis by Lloyd?s Register indicates owner-operators may see unit cost savings as high as 35% when upsizing from a 6,800 TEU vessel to 11,800 TEU. Provisional plans emerging from some of the world?s leading design houses suggest vessel capacities may reach 12,500 TEU, while still being able to transit the new dimensions of the Panama Canal after its present enlargement project is completed in 2014.