ZIM's First LNG-powered Containership Begins Maiden Voyage

Israeli container carrier ZIM announced its first vessel fueled by liquefied natural gas (LNG) has set sail on its maiden voyage.

The 15,000 TEU dual-fuel box ship Zim Sammy Ofer, built by South Korea's Samsung Heavy Industries, is the first of 10 vessel ordered in a long-term chartering agreement between ZIM and Seaspan Corporation.

The Neo-Panamax vessel is 366-meters long with a 51-meter beam. The vessel has a max service speed of 22.5 knots, a dual-fuel main engine with output of 46,000kW at 80 rpm, and an Energy Efficiency Design Index to meet the tightened emission standards in the future.

The vessel was named after the late shipping magnate Sammy Ofer, who passed away in 2011.

The newbuild will join ZIM's flagship service, ZIM Container Service Pacific (ZCP), from Asia to the USA East Coast. A grand welcome ceremony is scheduled for April 30, 2023, at Haifa Bayport during its maiden voyage.