This month saw the steel cutting ceremony of the first of Maersk Line’s Triple-E class of twenty ships at DSME Okpo shipyard, S.Korea: ordered last year, the first ships are scheduled for delivery next year. The ‘Triple-E’ class is estimated to produce 50 per cent less emissions than the industry average on the Asia-Europe route and 35 percent less fuel per container. The 165,000 dwt vessel has a LOA of 1,300 ft, beam of 194 ft and with a draft of 48 ft will be too deep to use the Panama Canal, but will be able to transit the Suez Canal. The top speed of 23 knots will allow a much lower propulsion power to be used and it is expected that twin MAN B&W G series of ultra long stroke two stroke, slow speed engines of around 32 MW each will be specified. [More]