Hapag-Lloyd and Seaspan partner for methanol retrofit of container ships

German shipping company Hapag-Lloyd and Hong Kong-based ship operator Seaspan Corporation have joined forces to retrofit five 10,100 TEU-capacity container ships with dual-fuel engines capable of running on methanol.

PHOTO: Hapag Lloyd's container vessel in the Port of Hamburg. Hapag Lloyd

The retrofit, scheduled to commence in the first quarter of 2026, involves vessels such as Seaspan Amazon, Seaspan Ganges, Seaspan Thames, Seaspan Yangtze and Seaspan Zambezi, which are currently equipped with MAN ES' conventional engines.

“By enabling these vessels to use green methanol as of 2026, we will meet our customers’ growing demand for green transportation solutions,” Hapag-Lloyd’s COO Dr. Maximilan Rothkopf said.

The retrofit investment is estimated at around $120 million for the five vessels.

The methanol-powered fleet is expected to expand rapidly over the coming years, with the orderbook set to grow from 80 in 2025 to 236 in 2028, according to DNV data.

By Debarati Bhattacharjee

Please get in touch with comments or additional info to news@engine.online