Photo credit: Grieg Maritime Group
Norway´s Grieg Maritime Group has contracted CSSC Huangpu Wenchong Longxue yard for up to four ammonia-ready open hatch vessels.
The yard will deliver the first of the four future-proof Open Hatch vessels in the spring of 2026, with the following three throughout the year.
The contract with CSSC Huangpu Wenchong Shipbuilding is for two vessels, with an option for a further two.
Grieg Maritime Group said the newbuild will dwarf the 50,800 dwt L-class, previously the latest and largest vessels in its fleet.
The ships with a length of 225 meters and a carrying capacity of over 82,000 dwt, will be ammonia ready with a MAN B&W 5S60ME engine and prepared for tanks holding 3,000 m3 of ammonia on deck.
All ships will be DNV classed and have the Norwegian NIS flag, with Bergen as the home port.
“This class of vessels shows we are serious about climate action and plan to stay a leading player in the Open Hatch segment,” says Matt Duke, CEO of Grieg Maritime Group.
Internally dubbed “PulpMax”, the ship´s design has been developed with input from Grieg Shipbrokers and G2 Ocean.
It’s worth noting that Grieg Maritime Group is committed to the Norwegian Shipowners Association’s climate targets. A part of that is to only order ships with zero-emission technology from 2030.
“These vessels are halfway there, as they give us the flexibility to be close to emission-free as soon as the fuels are available. The design doesn’t tie us to just one fuel but lets us keep our options. We believe in ammonia for these ships. However, we can also look to methanol or carbon capture depending on how the technology develops,” says the Head of Shipowning in Grieg Maritime Group, Nicolai Grieg.
