Wallenius Wilhelmsen sets sail on eco-friendly journey with four innovative vessels

Swedish-Norwegian global shipping and logistics company Wallenius Wilhelmsen has signed a contract with Jinling Shipyard (Jiangsu, China) to construct a fleet of four green vessels, potentially adding eight more in the future.

The quartet of vessels will have a cargo capacity of 9,350 CEU and will be designed to operate on methanol or other eco-friendly “alternative fuels.”

The first batch of deliveries is scheduled for the first half of 2026. These newly built ships are essential to the company’s ambitious plan to achieve net zero emissions by 2027.

In a symbolic gesture reflecting the company’s unwavering commitment to this mission, the vessel class has been named “The Shaper Class.”

According to WW CEO Lasse Kristoffersen, there is a pressing requirement for the maritime industry to undergo a significant transformation in the coming years. He said that as a company, WW is determined to drive this change and capitalise on evolving circumstances.

“We want to be our customer’s first choice in shipping and we want to deliver an end-to-end net zero emissions solution by 2027,” Kristoffersen said. “Our new vessels will enable us to get closer to these goals.”

Plans on a new fleet

He also pointed out that the company takes pride in its position as the leading global operator of RoRo vessels and plans to uphold a fleet of 125-135 ships.

Per Lars Ekren, senior manager of Newbuildings and Conversions, the development of the company’s new vessel design began more than a year and a half ago.

He explained that the Newbuildings team had worked closely with designer Delta Marin and internal and external stakeholders. The objective is to ensure that the design meets stringent safety requirements and aligns with the company’s operational needs in the short and long term.

Ekren emphasised the importance of prioritising energy efficiency and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. He highlighted the extensive efforts dedicated to ensuring that the new vessels will significantly impact achieving the company’s emission reduction goals.

EVP and COO of shipping services Xavier Leroi said that the company is actively collaborating with its customers to reduce emissions by utilising biofuels.

He also agreed that introducing the new vessels will further enhance its ability to accelerate progress towards achieving net-zero emissions. “This requires new and more expensive fuels but both we and our customers are committed to secure this as soon as it can be made available,” he said.