For a greener tomorrow: Hapag-Lloyd’s 23K+ LNG dual-fuel fleet is now complete

June 11, 2025, by Naida Hakirevic Prevljak

German container shipping major Hapag-Lloyd has taken delivery of the twelfth and final vessel of the eco-friendly Hamburg Express class.

The 23,664 TEU Wilhelmshaven Express was recently handed over to the German company and embarked on its maiden voyage, the company said in a LinkedIn update.

The Germany-flagged box ship is about to arrive in Shanghai on June 12 and will make stops in Tanjung Pelepas and Port Tangier Mediterranee, according to vessel schedule data provided by Maersk, Hapag-Lloyd’s partner in the Gemini Cooperation, which was launched in February 2025.

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The 229,347 dwt Wilhelmshaven Express is the final of twelve liquefied natural gas (LNG) dual-fuel boxships built at Hanwa Ocean shipyard in South Korea.

With a length of 399 meters and a width of 61 meters, the giant containership can reach a speed of 22 knots.

The twelve newbuildings are said to be the largest containerships ever to sail under the German flag. The sustainable vessels are deployed on Hapag-Lloyd’s strategically important East-West routes between Asia and Europe.

“With their large capacity, forward-thinking design, and LNG dual-fuel engines, this series of vessels are set to greatly improve efficiency and are projected to reduce emissions by 20 to 25% in the near future,” Hapag-Lloyd added.

In November 2024, the German shipping heavyweight christened Hamburg Express, the flagship of the company’s Hamburg Express class.

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The company committed to growing as well as modernizing and decarbonizing its fleet. In line with the 1.5-degree target of the Paris Agreement, it aims to reduce the absolute greenhouse gas emissions of the company’s fleet operations by around one third compared to 2022—seen as another step toward net-zero fleet operation by 2045.