Maersk names lead ship of new dual-fuel container vessel series

A.P. Moller – Maersk held a naming ceremony for its newest container vessel at HD Hyundai Heavy Industries’ (HHI) yard in Ulsan, South Korea, on Wednesday, June 18.

Berlin Mærsk is the 14th dual-fuel newbuild entering the Maersk fleet and the first vessel in a new series of six containerships.

On July 7, Berlin Mærsk will make its first port call in Shanghai, where it will begin operating on Maersk’s service connecting Eastern Asia with Northern Europe.

Maersk said the vessel's design closely resembles that of a previous class, from which Maersk has received a total of 12 dual-fuel vessels, all also built by HHI. The company said the only significant difference is the wider beam, which allows Berlin Mærsk to carry more containers (17,480 TEUs compared to 16,000 TEUs on Ane Mærsk and her sisters).

The increased capacity also makes it the largest dual-fuel ship to date to join the Maersk fleet.

Berlin Mærsk's five sisters are scheduled for delivery within this year. All six ships in the class will sail under the Danish flag.