Tsuneishi Group (Zhoushan) Shipbuilding has launched a 5,900-TEU methanol dual-fuel container vessel for an undisclosed owner, marking its largest unit of this type to date, reported Rotterdam's Offshore Energy.

The vessel was launched on August 27 and is scheduled for delivery in February next year. It was built at Tsuneishi's Chinese base and is designed to support net-zero carbon dioxide emissions using green or bio-methanol.

Both the main engine and onboard generators, including a HiMSEN unit from South Korea's HD Hyundai, are methanol-compatible. The ship is also equipped for large-capacity shore power, enabling generator shutdowns while docked to reduce emissions.

The vessel features Tsuneishi's MT-FAST propulsion enhancement system, co-developed with MTI Co of the NYK Group. The device improves efficiency by about four per cent by regulating water flow with fins placed ahead of the propeller.

Tsuneishi secured an order for four methanol-fuelled 5,900 TEU boxships in October 2023, its third such booking after the KAMSARMAX AEROLINE and TESS66 AEROLINE series. The company aims to focus solely on dual-fuel shipbuilding by 2035.

In July 2024, Japan's ORIX Corporation ordered two methanol-powered bulk carriers from Tsuneishi. Meanwhile, its Philippines base, Tsuneishi Heavy Industries, recently launched what it called the world's first methanol dual-fuel Kamsarmax bulker.