YML to upgrade South-America service with 11,000 TEU newbuilding

TAIWAN : Yang Ming will add one new 11,000TEU container vessel, named YM Trust, chartered from Shoei Kisen Kaisha, Ltd. and built by Imabari Shipbuilding Co., Ltd.

The company has ordered a total of fourteen 11,000TEU newbuildings through long-term charter agreements with ship owners and YM Trust is the eighth in the series and will be delivered on 10 November.

This type of vessels has a nominal capacity of 11,860TEU and is equipped with 1,000 plugs for reefer containers. With a length of 333.9 meters, a width of 48.4 meters, a draft of 16 meters, these vessels are designed to cruise at a speed up to 23 knots.

The container ships incorporate various environmental features including scrubbers, Water Ballast Treatment Plant and Alternative Marine Power system.

This type of vessels adopts the twin-island design to increase loading capacity and navigational visibility to ensure more efficiency and safety, according to Yang Ming statement.

Yang Ming started taking delivery of these new vessels from 2020. These eight newbulidings will lower the average age of its global fleet and are expected to reduce unit cost and achieve energy efficiency.

In addition, these ships will accelerate fleet optimisation to proactively cope with the challenges and stricter environmental regulations faced by the fast-changing shipping industry, noted the Taiwanese container carrier in its announcement.

YM Trust will join Yang Ming’s Far East – South America service SA3, which is sailing under the following port rotation:

Shanghai – Ningbo – Yantian – Hong Kong – Singapore – Rio de Janeiro – Santos – Paranagua – Navegantes – Montevideo – Buenos Aires – Rio Grande – Navegantes – Paranagua – Santos – Singapore – Hong Kong – Shanghai.

The vessel was named at a ceremony held at Imabari Hiroshima Shipyard today, on 28 October. Yang Ming’s attendees joined the ceremony remotely at their Taipei office, while Cheng-Mount Cheng, Chairman of Yang Ming, was invited to officially name the ship and the ceremonial cord-cutting was performed by honorable guests invited by the ship owners.