A 27,500 TEU container ship, developed by the China State Shipbuilding Corporation’s Shanghai Ship Research and Design Institute, has set a new world record for container ship capacity. This milestone vessel, the GREEN SEALION 27500, debuted at the SMM Maritime Exhibition in Hamburg on September 3, and received the Approval in Principle (AiP) certificate from DNV, a leading classification society.

The ship is equipped with an LNG dual-fuel propulsion system and an optimized hull design, meeting the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Phase 3 carbon emission reduction standards. Additionally, it achieves zero emissions in port by using shore power.

Furthermore, at the exhibition, the China State Shipbuilding Corporation received AiP certificates for four other designs, including a 20,000 TEU ammonia dual-fuel container ship, a 16,000 TEU LNG dual-fuel container ship, a 103,000 cubic meter Very Large Ethane Carrier (VLEC), and a 93,000 cubic meter Very Large Ammonia Carrier (VLAC).

Currently, Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) holds the title for operating the largest container ships, having taken delivery of a series of 24,346 TEU vessels last year.

In this century, the trend of container ship gigantism has nearly quadrupled ship capacity. However, over the past year, global shipping companies have often ordered ships of around 16,000 TEU, a size more versatile for various trade routes, rather than just the Asia-Europe routes that currently deploy these megaships.

The successful development of the GREEN SEALION 27500 is not only a significant breakthrough for China's shipbuilding industry in the field of large container ships, but also an important milestone in the global shipping industry's green and low-carbon development. The launch of this ship type will strongly promote the shipping industry towards a more environmentally friendly and efficient future, contributing positively to the global fight against climate change and environmental protection.