Hapag-Lloyd has celebrated the naming of the Wilhelmshaven Express at the Jade Weser Port in Wilhelmshaven. As the ship’s naming patron, Wibke Friedrichs, wife of the former Hapag-Lloyd Board Member Anthony Firmin (COO), performed the christening. Hapag-Lloyd welcomed distinguished guests – among them Olaf Lies, Minister-President of Lower Saxony – customers, business partners, and press to honour this milestone.
The event marked not only the christening of a state-of-the-art container vessel, but also the completion of a transformative and comprehensive three-year newbuild programme. The Wilhelmshaven Express is the 12th and final ship in the Hamburg Express class, an ultra-large vessel series that has redefined the company’s fleet and set new benchmarks in terms of sustainability and productivity. With a capacity of 23 660 TEU and dual-fuel propulsion (running on LNG and biomethane), the vessel is deployed on the Gemini Cooperation’s NE1 service, connecting Asia and Northern Europe with maximum efficiency and reduced emissions.
“The Wilhelmshaven Express and its eleven sister vessels all successfully deployed are not just the largest in our fleet – they are a symbol of our unwavering commitment to continuously lower emissions, to quality leadership, and to long-term strategic growth,” said Rolf Habben Jansen, CEO of Hapag-Lloyd.
Jansen added: “The deepwater port has firmly established itself as a reliable and productive hub for Hapag-Lloyd and the Gemini Cooperation. With its consistent processes, efficient cargo handling, and direct connections to key trade lanes such as the Far East and the Atlantic, it plays a vital role in strengthening both our network and the resilience of our customers’ supply chains across Northern Europe.”
The Hamburg Express class was built at Hanwha Ocean shipyard in South Korea. With US$2 billion spent, it is one of the most significant fleet investments in Hapag-Lloyd’s history. Each vessel measures 399 m in length and is equipped with cutting-edge technology to reduce CO2 emissions by up to 25% compared to conventional designs.
Looking ahead, the company is preparing for its next major newbuild programme of 24 state-of-the-art vessels; of these, 12 newbuildings will have a capacity of 16 800 TEU each and the other 12 ships a capacity of 9200 TEU each. All of them will be equipped with state-of-the-art low emission high pressure liquefied gas dual-fuel engines that are highly fuel-efficient. In addition, also these vessels can be operated using biomethane, which can further reduce CO2 emissions by up to 95% compared to conventional propulsion systems. Hapag-Lloyd will take delivery of these new vessels between 2027 – 2029.