Evergreen orders 10 more 2,800-TEU ships

Combined with a similar previous order from China Shipbuilding Corp. in Taiwan, Evergreen now has 20 containerships on order it plans to deploy on the intra-Asia trade lanes.    Evergreen Group has signed an order with Japanese shipbuilder Imabari for 10 ships with 2,800 TEUs of capacity each. These are in addition to an order announced last month for 10 similar vessels from China Shipbuilding Corp. (CSBC) in Taiwan.
   The latest contract was signed by Anchor Chang, the chairman of Evergreen Marine Corp. and Yukito Higaki, president of Imabari Shipbuilding.
   The first ship is scheduled to be delivered during the first half of 2018 with the final ship in the series is due by the first half of 2019.
   Evergreen plans to deploy all 20 of the new ships in the intra-Asia trade lanes.
   The new ships will be 211 meters in length, 32.8 meters wide, and have a design draft of 10 meters and are designed to load 13 rows of containers on deck, which is within the span of existing gantry cranes in the major ports on the intra-Asian trade.
   With a hull design that is wider in comparison to other ships of a similar capacity, Evergreen said they will be able to navigate in the shallower ports encountered in the intra-Asia trade and thereby enhance their cargo carrying capability.
   In addition, the ships can cruise at speeds of up to 21.8 knots, enhancing their on-time performance and competitiveness, according to the Taiwan-based ocean carrier.
   As ships operating in the intra-Asia trades spend much of their time in coastal areas and make frequent port calls, the ships are designed to reduce their impact on port communities and environment, Evergreen said.
   The ships will be equipped with electronically-controlled fuel injection engines that meet IMO Tier II standards for NOx emission and Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI) requirements. Emissions will be about 20 percent less than those from vessels with traditional designs, the company said.