Feeders still dominate newbuild orders, but ‘cautious’ ONE goes large

Ocean Network Express (ONE) has made a significant strategic move by commissioning six 15,900 TEU containerships from South Korea’s HD Hyundai Heavy Industries. While the broader market continues to favor smaller feeder vessels for regional connectivity, this order signals a shift toward large-scale capacity expansion for the Japanese liner group. These high-capacity vessels are designed to optimize major trade routes, reflecting a cautious yet calculated approach to fleet modernization amidst fluctuating global demand and evolving maritime logistics requirements.

The integration of these ultra-large containerships necessitates strict adherence to international maritime frameworks, particularly MARPOL Annex VI regarding sulfur emission limits and the Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI) requirements under IMO’s MEPC regulations. Compliance departments must ensure these newbuilds meet the latest SOLAS Chapter II-1 standards for ship construction and machinery safety. Furthermore, adherence to the International Maritime Solid Bulk Cargoes (IMSBC) Code and classification society rules for hull integrity is essential to ensure these massive assets maintain operational efficiency and environmental regulatory compliance.

For masters and navigating officers, the arrival of these 15,900 TEU vessels requires advanced training in handling ultra-large container carriers (ULCCs) within restricted port channels. These officers must familiarize themselves with updated bridge resource management protocols and sophisticated automated mooring systems. Mastering the specific stability and cargo securing manuals for these high-capacity designs is critical to ensuring safe transit and efficient port turnaround times during complex global cargo operations.