Yang Ming Marine Transport Corp. (Yang Ming) will add one new 11,000 TEU container vessel, ‘YM Trust’. The vessel chartered from Shoei Kisen Kaisha, Ltd. and built by Imabari Shipbuilding Co., Ltd. was named at a ceremony held at Imabari Hiroshima Shipyard on Thursday (Oct 28). Yang Ming’s attendees joined the ceremony remotely at their Taipei office. Mr. Cheng-Mount Cheng, Chairman of Yang Ming was invited to officially name the ship and the ceremonial cord-cutting was performed by honorable guest invited by the ship owners to wish the ship and its crew the best of luck on their future voyages.
To further strengthen Yang Ming’s mid- to long-term operational efficiency, the company ordered a total of fourteen 11,000 TEU newbuildings through long-term charter agreements with ship owners. YM Trust is the eighth in the series and will be delivered on November 10th. This type of vessels has a nominal capacity of 11,860 TEU and is equipped with 1,000 plugs for reefer containers. With a length of 333.9 meters, a width of 48.4 meters, a draft of 16 meters, these vessels are designed to cruise at a speed up to 23 knots. The containerships incorporate various environmental features including scrubbers, Water Ballast Treatment Plant and Alternative Marine Power system.
This type of vessels adopts the twin-island design to increase loading capacity and navigational visibility to ensure more efficiency and safety. The ship hull form optimization will further increase energy saving and reduce overall emissions. In addition, the ships are designed with shorter length and beam, which makes them easier to maneuver during berthing or departure. The new dimensions enable these ships to call at major ports worldwide and pass through new Panama Canal with no restriction, and facilitate greater flexibility in vessel deployment.
Yang Ming started taking delivery of these new vessels from 2020. These eight newbulidings will lower the average age of its global fleet, reduce unit cost and achieve energy efficiency. In addition, these ships will accelerate fleet optimization to proactively cope with the challenges and stricter environmental regulations faced by the fast-changing shipping industry.
YM Trust will join Yang Ming’s Far East - South America service SA3 after delivery. Given the latest higher level of cargo demand and the developing port infrastructure of several main ports in South America, the deployment of YM Trust on SA3 service will meet customer needs, maximize capacity utilization, and strengthen Yang Ming’s competitiveness in South America market, and consequently, significantly enhance the competitiveness of Yang Ming’s global fleet and service network.
The port rotation of SA3 is Shanghai – Ningbo – Yantian – Hong Kong – Singapore – Rio de Janeiro – Santos – Paranagua – Navegantes – Montevideo – Buenos Aires – Rio Grande – Navegantes – Paranagua – Santos - Singapore – Hong Kong – Shanghai.