Thai RCL Returns to Huangpu Wenchong, Orders Additional 4 Units of 1,900TEU Feeder Container Vessels

en.Wedoany.com Reported - On August 21, CSSC Huangpu Wenchong Shipbuilding Co., Ltd., together with China Shipbuilding Trading Co., Ltd., signed a construction contract with Thailand's Regional Container Lines (RCL) for 4 units of Honghu 1,900TEU container vessels. This marks RCL's second selection of Huangpu Wenchong's feeder vessel design, following its order of 4 units of 4,300TEU container vessels in 2024.

The 1,900TEU container vessels contracted this time are the benchmark "Honghu" series design independently developed by Huangpu Wenchong, with an overall length of 172 meters, a molded breadth of 27.5 meters, and a deadweight of approximately 24,000 tons. The vessel design meets the International Maritime Organization (IMO) EEDI Phase 3 energy efficiency requirements and is equipped with environmental protection systems such as shore power and exhaust gas scrubbers. According to International Ship Network, the current newbuilding market reference price for a container vessel in the 1,800 to 2,100TEU range is approximately USD 33.5 million.

RCL is a traditional liner company with deep roots in the Asian region, primarily providing liner and container feeder transportation services in East Asia, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and the Indian subcontinent. Alphaliner data shows that RCL currently operates 32 container vessels with a total capacity of 91,433TEU, ranking 23rd globally. Excluding the latest order, RCL's orderbook already stands at 25 vessels totaling approximately 140,500TEU, equivalent to 153.7% of its current fleet capacity.

Since the beginning of this year, the "Honghu" series has secured a cumulative total of 45 orders for feeder and medium-sized container vessels. Excluding the latest order, Huangpu Wenchong holds a total orderbook of 187 vessels amounting to 8.44 million deadweight tons, with delivery slots scheduled through 2030.