Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding (SWS) has won a newbuilding contract with Taiwan’s shipping giant Wan Hai Lines for six 11,000 teu environmentally friendly container vessels, wrapping up a deal that was approved by Wan Hai’s board in August.
A Wan Hai filing said each ship will cost between $118m and $124m with deliveries to begin in 2029.
The new 11,000 teu vessels are described by SWS as a new generation of medium-sized eco-friendly container ships, independently developed. The design includes green maritime technology to reduce carbon emissions and enhance operational efficiency.
The ships will be in full compliance to the stringent EEDI Phase 3 energy efficiency standards. They will also be both LNG-ready and methanol-ready, allowing Wan Hai the flexibility to adopt zero and low carbon fuels as the market develops.
The dual-fuel-ready configuration is designed to offer a clear route to future decarbonization, whilst allowing ships to respond to increasingly stringent international regulations on maritime carbon emissions.
The newbuildings will also feature sulfur scrubbers and a comprehensive suite of hydrodynamic energy-saving and drag-reduction technologies to improve fuel efficiency and overall vessel performance.
The latest order builds on an increasingly close relationship between SWS and Wan Hai Lines. Their first cooperation began in 2024, when Wan Hai ordered two 7,000 teu container ships from the Chinese yard. Those vessels were delivered in the first half of 2026.
The two companies also extended their partnership in March 2026 with a newbuilding contract for two 9,200 teu container vessels. One of those ships has recently been upgraded to handle 11,000 teu.
With confirmation of the six-vessel order, Wan Hai Lines’ global newbuilding backlog now stands at 50 container ships, representing a combined capacity approaching 500,000 teu.
SWS has enlarged its portfolio of container ships, with designs ranging from 7,000 teu to 20,000 teu. The shipbuilder says it is using its in-house research and development capabilities to develop a full range of green and low-carbon vessel solutions for the international shipping market.
