Taiwanese shipping firm Yang Ming has officially signed contracts for six 8,000 TEU container ships suitable for methanol propulsion.

The contract was signed with Nihon Shipyard, Imabari Shipbuilding and Shoei Kisen Kaisha, Yang Ming said in a statement on its website on Wednesday.

Yang Ming had announced plans for the newbuilds in July, which have now been officially contracted.

The vessels are expected to be delivered from 2028 onwards and will replace its ageing 5,500 TEU container ships.

Ships with a methanol-ready notation are built with provisions for future conversion to operate on methanol. However, actual operation on these fuels would require further retrofitting, either during construction or at a later stage.

The majority of vessels with similar notations have yet to undergo conversion, highlighting the industry’s phased approach to future fuel adoption.