German shipping line Hapag-Lloyd is set to take delivery of a new 15,000 twenty-foot equivalent unit (TEU) container ship named Al Jmeliyah from South Korean shipbuilder Hyundai Samho Heavy Industries (HSHI).

The delivery marks the end of the HSHI's comprehensive newbuild programme for the vessel.

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Al Jmeliyah is classed as an ultra-large container vessel (ULCV) and is expected to begin operation this weekend on the THE Alliance's FE4 service between Asia and Northern Europe.

The 368m-long, 51m-wide vessel features a maximum loading capacity of 153,148t.   

Al Jmeliyah is certified as liquefied natural gas (LNG) ready and is equipped with an improved waste heat recovery system, as well as a connection for receiving shore-based power.

The vessel is also capable of consuming less fuel and releasing fewer emissions due various innovative technologies installed on-board.

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"With this newbuild our fleet, one of the youngest and most modern in the industry with an average age of just 7.1 years, is now complete."

Hapag-Lloyd chief operating officer Anthony Firmin said: “With this newbuild our fleet, one of the youngest and most modern in the industry with an average age of just 7.1 years, is now complete.

“We have no plans to order any more newbuilds in the foreseeable future.”

Al Jmeliyah represents the last in a series of 17 newbuild vessels to be constructed under a contract signed between HSHI and United Arab Shipping Company (UASC), which was merged with Hapag-Lloyd in May.

The deal was initially signed in 2013. 

Hapag-Lloyd's series of newbuild vessels comprises 11 15,000TEU and six 19,900TEU ships. Delivery of the first vessel in the series was carried out in 2015.

The new vessels have become a part of the company's 219-ship fleet following the merger between UASC and Hapag-Lloyd.

Hapag-Lloyd previously took delivery of Al Jmeliyah’s predecessor ‘Afif’ in July.

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