World’s greenest mega-ship sets sail for United Arab Shipping

United Arab Shipping Co., a member of the Ocean Three Alliance, has taken delivery of the world’s greenest ultra-large container ship.

The 18,800 20-foot-equivalent-unit capacity Barzan, built by South Korea’s Hyundai Samho Heavy Industries yard in Mokpo, South Korea, instantly became the largest ship in UASC’s fleet and the longest in service today. Its carbon dioxide emissions output per TEU is more than 60% below that of 13,500-TEU vessels delivered just three years ago. It is the first ship to receive classification society DNV GL’s notation certifying compliance with its latest gas-fueled rules.

The DNV GL-classed ship is the first of a batch of six ‘A18’(18,800-TEU) vessels that will set new standards for fuel and energy efficiency related to optimised design and advanced propulsion and equipment efficiency technologies.

Preliminary calculations indicate an energy efficiency design index value of nearly 50% below the 2025 limit originally set by the International Maritime Organization.

UASC is working on more metrics and targets through which the efficiency of its vessels can be managed to drive further reduction in CO2 emissions across all UASC vessels.

Barzan was named on the day UASC’s Ocean Three Alliance partner, China Shipping, dispatched its fifth and final 19,000-TEU vessel, CSCL Atlantic Ocean, to its east-west liner services.

Barzan will slot into UASC’s AEC1 service, departing from Qingdao, its first load port, on 22 May, before calling at Shanghai, Ningbo, Yantian, Port Kelang, Felixstowe, Rotterdam and Hamburg.

The ship can load 10 tiers-deep below decks with up to 11-high on deck, with 1,000 reefer slots available. The vessel has a complement of 22, including nine officers.