Unifeeder has entered into a long-term charter agreement for two additional dual-fuel methanol newbuild container feeder vessels.
The latest agreement is in partnership with German-based shipowning group Elbdeich Reederei and Norwegian shipowner MPC Container Ships (MPCC), who are responsible for one vessel each. The 1,250 teu vessels scheduled for delivery in 2026 will be deployed on Unifeeder’s European network.
According to MPCC, the vessel under its care will be under a seven-year time-charter agreement with Unifeeder post-delivery, significantly mitigating residual value risks. Elbdeich Reederei did not reveal the length of the charter.
The addition of these new vessels will help Unifeeder’s ongoing efforts to reduce emissions across its network while, simultaneously, increasing the utilisation of biofuels in its conventional vessels.
The investment in the two new additional ships also supports Unifeeder’s decarbonisation plan. The company has committed to a 25% reduction of emissions by 2030 and to reach net zero by 2050 with no new fossil GHG emissions.
This follows the agreement for two initial vessels announced in October 2023. Initially, Unifeeder inked a deal with German owner Elbdeich Reederei to charter in up to four methanol-powered containership newbuilds. Under the first deal, Elbdeich ordered a pair of 1,250 feeder units and would continue to manage them after delivery in 2026. The contract includes options for two more similar ships for Unifeeder.
