Another Container Vessel Comes off the Blocks for Taiwanese Shipping Line

SOUTH KOREA – The latest container ship constructed by Samsung Heavy Industries on behalf of Evergreen Line, another 8,452 TEU ‘L-type’ vessel has just been christened. The ship, the Ever Liberal follows the launching of the Ever Loyal less than two months ago and is the nineteenth vessel in a series of twenty with the final craft scheduled to be completed in July.

As with her sisters, the Ever Liberal is 334.8 metres in length with a 45.8 metre beam and 942 reefer plugs and is capable of cruising at up to 24.5 knots. The class was designed with energy efficiency in mind to significantly reduce the Taiwanese line’s carbon footprint. The L-class containership is fitted with alternative marine power, ballast water treatment system, electronic-controlled fuel-injection engine that supports slow steaming and many more eco-friendly designs and the new-building is set to join Evergreen Line's Far East - Europe route, replacing an older vessel.

Evergreen Line commenced its fleet renewal programme in 2010 at a time when shipbuilding costs reached cost-effective levels. The project entailed ordering of thirty L-type vessels and chartering a further five 8,800 TEU units as well as ten of 13,800 TEU. Furthermore, in order to meet the tonnage demand of alliance commitments, the carrier has also signed charter agreements for ten 14,000 TEU vessels. The delivery of these newbuildings, scheduled between now and 2017, will be balanced by the redelivery of ships currently on charter when these agreements expire.

As usual with Evergreen the ship was named in a ceremony attended by dignitaries from Taiwan and abroad. She was christened by Bronson Hsieh, Evergreen Group's Second Vice Group Chairman with the ceremonial ‘rope cutting’ performed by Ms. C. H. Chang of Evergreen Marine Corporation. In his speech Mr. Hsieh said:

“It was in July 2012 that we started to take delivery of L-type vessels from Samsung Heavy Industries. All the new-buildings were delivered perfectly to schedule and have been performing very well. The twentieth and the final new-building of this programme is planned to be completed in July. Furthermore, we are looking forward to receiving five 14,000 TEU chartered vessels from Samsung in 2016.”

Photo: The naming ceremony with (Left to Right) Mr. Bronson Hsieh, Ms. C. H. Chang and Mr. YH Yoon, EVP and Shipyard GM of Samsung Heavy Industries.