On June 25, the world’s first 24,168 TEU methanol dual-fuel ultra-large containership, OOCL Wisdom, was officially delivered.

The vessel was built by Nantong COSCO KHI Ship Engineering Co., Ltd. (NACKS), a subsidiary of COSCO SHIPPING Heavy Industry, and will be operated globally by OOCL, a subsidiary of COSCO SHIPPING Holdings.

The delivery marks a major breakthrough for China in the research, development and construction of ultra-large clean-energy vessels. It is also a key project under COSCO SHIPPING Holdings’ strategy of “carrying global trade and connecting the world”, as the company accelerates the green and digital transformation of its fleet. The project provides a replicable Chinese solution that integrates shipbuilding capability with shipping operations for the low-carbon transition of global shipping.

OOCL Wisdom has an overall length of 399.99 metres, a moulded breadth of 61.3 metres, a moulded depth of 33.2 metres, a maximum capacity of 24,168 TEU, a deadweight of about 225,000 tonnes and a service speed of 22.7 knots. Its dimensions and performance place it among the most advanced vessels of its type worldwide.

The vessel’s most important breakthrough lies in its large-scale methanol dual-fuel propulsion system. It is equipped with the world’s largest methanol dual-fuel main engine, as well as methanol-capable auxiliary engines and boilers. The system can switch flexibly between methanol and conventional fuel, helping address the long-standing challenge of combining ultra-large carrying capacity with lower emissions.

When powered by green methanol, the vessel can reduce carbon dioxide emissions by about 150,000 tonnes per year. It can also almost eliminate sulphur oxide emissions and significantly reduce nitrogen oxide emissions, making it highly aligned with the decarbonisation needs of global shipping.

As the world’s largest methanol dual-fuel containership in terms of container capacity, OOCL Wisdom has gone through a rigorous process from naming and sea trials to final delivery. The vessel was officially named on May 8 before heading to sea for full-condition trials. During the trials, its propulsion performance, dual-fuel switching, energy efficiency, manoeuvrability and hull stability were fully tested under real operating conditions.

The results showed that all key performance indicators met the design requirements, with strong overall performance. The independently integrated methanol-fuel oil dual-fuel propulsion system also passed practical testing, confirming the safety, stability and advanced performance of the system. This means the vessel is now fully ready for commercial operation on intercontinental mainline services.

NACKS led the vessel’s overall design, structural optimisation, propulsion integration and intelligent energy-efficiency system development. The project team overcame a series of technical challenges, including lightweight design for ultra-large hull structures, safe storage and handling of methanol, precise dual-fuel control, and full-lifecycle intelligent energy-efficiency management.

The successful delivery shows that NACKS has mastered the complete construction technology for 24,000 TEU-class methanol dual-fuel containerships, further strengthening its position among the world’s leading builders of high-end green vessels.

A series of sister vessels to OOCL Wisdom are currently under construction. NACKS said it will continue to deepen its capabilities in clean-energy and new-energy vessel technologies, with the goal of providing greener, smarter and more efficient Chinese-built solutions for the global maritime industry.

COSCO SHIPPING Holdings has been investing steadily in green shipping and accelerating the renewal of its green and digital fleet. The company has ordered 70 dual-fuel containerships, forming a multi-path new-energy fleet covering both methanol and LNG. Its green fleet scale now ranks among the leading players in the global container shipping industry.

With its mature global mainline network, refined vessel operation system and extensive compliance experience, COSCO SHIPPING Holdings is expected to fully leverage the green advantages of OOCL Wisdom. The vessel will further enhance the company’s competitiveness on major global trade lanes and strengthen its brand influence in the international shipping market.