Finnish naval architecture firm Deltamarin has entered into an agreement with China Merchants Jinling Shipyard (Jiangsu) for the design and engineering of upsized Shaper-class pure car and truck carriers (PCTCs) for Norwegian shipping company Wallenius Wilhelmsen.
The contract includes six of the 14 vessels currently on order with Jinling Shipyard. The capacity of each vessel will be increased from 9,300 CEUs to approximately 12,100 CEUs, making them what Deltamarin claims are the largest PCTCs ever to sail.
Deltamarin will provide the shipyard with comprehensive design services, covering both basic and detail design, with a focus on optimising fuel efficiency, safety and sustainability.
The upsized vessels will share many of the integral design features of the Shaper-class, including dual-fuel engines capable of running on methanol, which will significantly reduce fuel consumption and emissions compared to the current fleet.
The first Shaper-class vessels are scheduled for delivery in the second half of 2026. The larger, upsized versions are due to be handed over in late 2027.
The vessels will be the ocean element of the integrated net-zero service Wallenius Wilhelmsen will offer to its customers beginning in 2027. This end-to-end offering will include all stages of finished vehicles’ transport from the factory to the end consumer.