OOCL names its newbuild 16,800 TEU vessel in China
Orient Overseas Container Line (OOCL) has officially named its first brand-new 16,828 TEU container vessel, OOCL Bauhinia, at a ceremony held at the Dalian COSCO KHI Ship Engineering (DACKS) shipyard in China.
OOCL Bauhinia will be deployed on the Trans-Pacific Trade PCC1 service, linking Asia with the US West Coast. The service’s port rotation includes: Ningbo (China), Shanghai (China), Pusan (South Korea), Long Beach (USA), Pusan (South Korea), and Ningbo (China), completing a 42-day round trip.
The ship is the first in a series of ten 16,000 TEU vessels ordered by OOCL and marks the company’s inaugural “NeoPanamax” class vessel of the past decade. Uniquely, this series is named after flowers, with the bauhinia—Hong Kong’s city flower—chosen for the first vessel.
At 366.99 meters long, 51 meters wide, and 30.2 meters deep, with a design draft of 14.5 meters, OOCL Bauhinia can carry 16,828 TEUs. It is among the largest ships capable of traversing the new Panama Canal locks, offering exceptional deployment flexibility.
The vessel meets stringent environmental regulations and incorporates advanced technological innovations for energy efficiency, digital intelligence, and onboard safety.
The naming ceremony featured Xiaoli Ma, Managing Director of COSCO-HIT Terminals (Hong Kong) Limited, as the sponsor, alongside distinguished guest Lianjun Li, Senior Partner at Reed Smith Richards Butler LLP. The event celebrated OOCL’s enduring partnerships and commitment to excellence.
Peter Pan, Director and Member of the Executive Committee of OOCL expressed his gratitude to DACKS at the ceremony, commenting, “I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to DACKS. Following the delivery of 24,000 TEU vessels earlier, you have once again demonstrated exceptional craftsmanship in building this new generation 16,000 TEU container ship. This ship features advanced eco-friendly and energy-saving technologies, along with a large carrying capacity and high intelligence, achieving comprehensive advantages at a world-class level. With the new ship in operation, OOCL aims to enhance shipping efficiency, reduce carbon emissions, to contribute to sustainable development.”
