On the morning of November 22, the eleventh LNG dual-fuel 16,000 TEU container ship “MSC IRIS,” built by Yangzijiang Xinfu Shipbuilding (a subsidiary of Yangzijiang Shipbuilding Group) for Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), set sail and was delivered to the shipowner for operation.
The ship commenced construction in early October 2024, entered the dock for block assembly in early April 2025, was launched from the dock at the end of July, and successfully completed sea trials in early November, with all test results meeting the design requirements.
On November 18, Yangzijiang Shipbuilding Group and Mediterranean Shipping Company jointly held a naming ceremony for the new ship. The ceremony was attended by the naming sponsor Ms. Chen Hong, Mr. Yang Haitao, Manager of MSC’s Newbuilding Department stationed at the Yangzijiang Xinfu site office, Mr. Liu Yinjun, Deputy General Manager of Yangzijiang Xinfu Shipbuilding, as well as representatives from the shipowner’s supervision team, classification society, shipyard, crew, and other guests.
Naming sponsor Ms. Chen Hong named the new ship “MSC IRIS,” performed the rope-cutting and champagne-smashing ceremonies, sounded the ship’s whistle, and co-signed the new ship’s commemorative picture frame with the captain, wishing the crew safe voyages and bringing honor and wealth to the shipowner and charterer.
On November 20, Mr. CH Giuseppe Gargiulo, China Regional Manager for Newbuildings at Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), and Mr. Yang Xueyan, Deputy General Manager of Yangzijiang Shipbuilding Group and General Manager of Yangzijiang Xinfu Shipbuilding, signed the delivery documents on behalf of their respective parties.
It is understood that the MSC LNG dual-fuel 16,000 TEU container ship series comprises a total of 12 vessels. The ship type has an overall length of approximately 366 meters, a length between perpendiculars of 355.4 meters, a molded breadth of 51 meters, a molded depth of 30.2 meters, a design draft of 14.5 meters, and a scantling draft of 17 meters. This ship type is equipped with energy-saving devices such as a shaft generator, air lubrication system, rudder bulb, and twisted leading-edge rudder. The dual-fuel main engine utilizes an ECO-EGR optimization method, which effectively further reduces fuel consumption while complying with Tier III emission standards.
This ship type will be another large container ship built by Yangzijiang Shipbuilding Group, following the LNG dual-fuel 7,000 TEU container ship, to be equipped with a 9Ni steel Type B LNG fuel tank, with a fuel tank capacity exceeding 13,000 cubic meters.
Furthermore, starting from the fourth ship in this series, a wind /deflector device has been installed. This measure can effectively reduce wind resistance during ship navigation, thereby reducing fuel consumption and consequently carbon emissions, contributing to the further realization of green and efficient ship operations.
