(Yicai) Sept. 28 -- Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding, a unit of China CSSC Holdings, said it has received an order worth about USD1 billion from a well-known European container shipping company.

Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding and the European client inked a deal for eight methanol-powered, mid-sized container ships, the Shanghai-based firm announced yesterday. Each vessel will be capable of carrying 9,200 twenty-foot equivalent units, it added. 

This is the largest order for such ships ever made globally, the company noted. Each craft will be 300 meters long and 45.6 m wide and reduce its emissions by using methanol.

In a separate statement on the same day, CSSC, a unit of China State Shipbuilding, said deliveries will start in 2027. The European client is a leading operator with a strong influence in the global shipping industry, mostly focused on container transport and logistics businesses, with a large fleet and routes covering at least 100 countries and regions, it noted.

Mid-sized container ships are just one of the sizes Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding builds, CSSC added. The firm has created brand value and a leading position in the sector, it pointed out.

Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding is one of the largest and most prominent shipyards in China and is known for its shipbuilding capabilities, including the construction of various types of vessels, offshore structures, and marine equipment. It has spearheaded innovation in China's civil vessel building field and constructed the country's first large cruise ship.

CSSC’s shares [SHA: 600150] gained 1.9 percent to close at CNY27.90 (USD3.82) apiece in Shanghai today.

Editor: Martin Kadiev