Yang Ming Strengthens Fleet with Two New 15,500 TEU Class LNG Dual-Fuel Vessels, ‘YM Willpower’ and ‘YM Worthiness’

Yang Ming Strengthens Fleet with Two New 15,500 TEU Class LNG Dual-Fuel Vessels, ‘YM Willpower’ and ‘YM Worthiness’

Yang Ming Marine Transport Corp. (Yang Ming) held naming ceremonies on February 4th at the HD Hyundai Heavy Industries (HD HHI) shipyard in Ulsan for the first two vessels, ‘YM Willpower’ and ‘YM Worthiness’, the first two vessels in its 15,500 TEU Class LNG dual-fuel series. Mrs. Yu-Fen Li, the spouse of the Minister of Transportation and Communications, Mr. Shih-Kai Chen, was invited as the Godmother to officially name the vessels and perform the ceremonial cord-cutting to wish the ships and their crews smooth sailing and full loading on their future voyages. Minister Chen attended the ceremony on behalf of the Ministry of Transportation and Communications to witness the delivery of Yang Ming’s first batch of LNG dual-fuel container vessels. Given that these ships will serve the Asia-Mediterranean route, high-level executives from Yang Ming’s joint venture partners also joined the celebration, including representatives from Sebang Group, Arkas Holding, FINSEA S.p.A., and Catalana Del Mar, S.A. The guests all gathered to mark this significant milestone in the green transition of the maritime industry.

This type of vessel has a nominal capacity of approximately 15,600 TEU. With a length overall (LOA) of 364.97 meters and a breadth of 51 meters, these newbuildings are designed as part of an initiative to meet the net-zero by 2050 target. As part of Yang Ming’s continuous green and energy-saving fleet deployment plan, these vessels are equipped with high-pressure LNG dual-fuel main engines and will primarily utilize LNG as fuel. Compared to conventional marine fuels, this technology immediately reduces greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 20%, positioning Yang Ming as the first Taiwanese container carrier to operate vessels with LNG as an alternative fuel. Furthermore, the main engines and generators are equipped with exhaust gas after-treatment systems that strictly comply with IMO Tier III NOx emission standards, reducing marine and coastal air pollution. Combined with multiple energy-saving system designs, these features enhance propulsion efficiency and fulfill Yang Ming’s commitment to environmental sustainability.

To uphold the standards of personnel safety, vessel safety, and cargo safety, the vessels are equipped with integrated navigational information, equipment monitoring, and broadband maritime satellite systems. These technologies facilitate big data collection and enhance operational safety. Both YM Willpower and YM Worthiness have been recognized with Smart Ship Notations from Bureau Veritas and Lloyd’s Register, respectively.

YM Willpower is scheduled to phase into the MD2 service on February 8th. The comprehensive port rotation includes Pusan, Shanghai, Ningbo, Kaohsiung, Shekou, Singapore, Tangier, Valencia, Barcelona, Genoa, La Spezia, Fos Sur Mer, Singapore, and Pusan. Additionally, its sister vessel, YM Worthiness, is expected to be delivered in Q2 2026. The deployment of this new vessels will maximize capacity utilization and strengthen Yang Ming’s competitiveness while fulfilling its commitment to providing comprehensive, efficient, and energy-saving transport services.