MSC tied to massive order for up to 20 LNG dual-fuel large box ships

European shipbrokers reported this week that MSC has reached an agreement with Hengli Heavy Industries for the construction of up to 20 LNG dual-fuel container ships of 20,000 TEU each, including optional units. The same sources said deliveries are expected to begin in the first half of 2029.

Shipbroking and market sources have corroborated the information, while MSC has been contacted for comment.

If confirmed, this would be MSC’s first major container vessel shipbuilding contract of 2026, following the liner operator’s recent expansion in the VLCC segment, where it has emerged as a dominant player through its alliance with Sinokor.

MSC and Hengli have previously cooperated on a series of newbuilding projects. Since 2024, MSC has contracted the Chinese yard for a series of 21,000-24,000 TEU container ships, with deliveries scheduled between 2027 and 2029, according to Clarksons data.

Alphaliner lists MSC as the world’s largest liner operator, with 999 vessels in its fleet, comprising 753 owned vessels and 246 chartered-in units. The company also has 134 ships under construction. MSC recently reached the milestone of operating 1,000 vessels.

In a significant development, the shipping group announced last April the transfer of ownership from its founder, Captain Gianluigi Aponte, to his son and daughter, Diego and Alexa Aponte.

“Passing ownership to my children is not only a reflection of their dedication and achievements, but also a continuation of our family’s centuries-long maritime heritage,” Captain Gianluigi Aponte said.

Non-stop newbuilding activity

Clarksons recently reported that container ship ordering activity continues to run at near-record levels, with 310 vessels totalling 9.6M compensated gross tonnes (CGT) contracted during the first five months of the year.

While this represents a 9% decline compared with the same period last year, activity remains twice the 10-year average.

As a result, the global orderbook reached a new high of 12.9M TEU in June, up 32% year on year and equivalent to 38% of the existing fleet.

Ordering activity this year has been largely concentrated on feeder and mid-sized vessels, according to data from Xclusiv Shipbrokers.