Samsung develops mega boxship

Samsung Heavy Industries has developed a 12,000TEU container ship design which it is now actively marketing. As the largest container carrier to date, the vessel will have a length of 383m and sail at the speed of 26 knots powered by a 109,000 bhp (80,080kW) two stroke MAN B&W 14K98ME main diesel engine. Its fuel tank is double-hulled for environment friendly purpose. The company has also started to develop a design for a 14,000TEU container ship.

The South Korean shipbuilder said that, to date, it has clinched orders for 21 container ships in the 9,000TEU+ size which represents 100% of the world orderbook for this size of ship. Samsung also claims that container seabourne trade volume will grow more than 10% annually until 2010 and that shipping companies will increasingly favour ultra large boxships to maximize operation efficiency and cost saving.