Yang Ming names the LNG dual-fuel container vessel YM Weight, enhancing its fleet with eco-friendly technology for Asia-West Mediterranean trade.
Yang Ming Marine Transport Corp. (Yang Ming), a global container carrier with decades of experience serving Asia, Europe, and the Americas, marked another milestone in its fleet renewal program with a naming ceremony for the vessel 'YM Weight' at the HD Hyundai Heavy Industries (HD HHI) shipyard in Ulsan, South Korea. The vessel is the fourth in a series of five 15,500 TEU-class LNG dual-fuel container ships built by HD HHI, reinforcing the company's transition toward a lower-emission, next-generation fleet.
Mrs. Chiu-Lien Lin, spouse of Administrative Deputy Minister of Transportation and Communications Mr. Kuo-Shian Lin, served as the vessel's Godmother, officially naming the ship and performing the ceremonial cord-cutting with wishes for smooth sailing and full loading on every voyage. Administrative Deputy Minister Lin and the Chairman of CR Classification Society (CR) also attended the ceremony, witnessing the delivery of the new alternative-fuel vessel classed by CR. Their presence underscored the significance of the event within the broader green transition of Taiwan's shipping industry.
The HD HHI-built series measures 364.97 meters in length overall (LOA) and 51 meters in breadth, with a capacity of approximately 15,600 TEU. Each vessel is fitted with high-pressure dual-fuel main engines capable of running on both LNG and low-sulfur fuel oil, giving Yang Ming operational flexibility while advancing its emissions-reduction goals. The ships also integrate navigational information systems, equipment monitoring, broadband maritime satellite connectivity, and multiple energy-saving technologies designed to strengthen operational efficiency and navigational safety.
For cargo owners and logistics partners, these capabilities translate into consistent, dependable capacity on a strategic east-west trade lane. The dual-fuel configuration supports schedule reliability while helping shippers meet tightening environmental compliance requirements across their supply chains.
'YM Weight' is jointly classed by CR and the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS), combining international classification expertise to safeguard the safety and technical compliance of Yang Ming's next-generation LNG dual-fuel vessels. Following proactive underwater noise measurements, the vessel achieved two industry firsts: the Underwater Noise (UWN) notation from ABS and the Underwater Radiated Noise (URN) notation from CR.
These dual recognitions reflect Yang Ming's commitment to reducing the operational impact of its fleet on marine life and to advancing sustainable development. The achievement also demonstrates the collaboration between Taiwan's classification sector and its shipping industry in progressing new-energy vessel technology.
Alongside fleet expansion, Yang Ming continues to strengthen professional training for crews operating alternative-fuel vessels. Senior Captain Ming-Yeong Pan will serve as the delivery captain of 'YM Weight.' Captain Pan is the first seafarer in Taiwan to receive the Advanced Training Certificate under the International Code of Safety for Ships Using Gases or Other Low-flashpoint Fuels (IGF Code), holding Certificate No. 0001 issued by the Maritime and Port Bureau, MOTC.
To date, 148 Yang Ming officers have completed advanced IGF Code training and will progressively undertake onboard training aboard LNG-fueled vessels along with practical alternative-fuel bunkering training. With 'YM Weight' directly managed and operated by Yang Ming, the vessel reflects the company's investment in professional seafarers - from certification through practical operation - while building the safety management capabilities its expanding alternative-fuel fleet requires.
'YM Weight' will enter service on Yang Ming's Asia-West Mediterranean MS2 route, connecting key markets across Asia and the West Mediterranean with reliable capacity. The full port rotation for the MS2 service is:
Pusan - Shanghai - Ningbo - Kaohsiung - Shekou - Singapore - (Cape of Good Hope) - Tangier - Valencia - Barcelona - Genoa - La Spezia - Fos - (Cape of Good Hope) - Singapore - Laem Chabang - Cai Mep - Yantian - Pusan - Long Beach - Oakland - Pusan.
The rotation gives shippers, freight forwarders, and importers broad connectivity between major Asian manufacturing hubs and West Mediterranean gateways, supporting stable transit planning and dependable market access across both directions of the trade.
With the naming of 'YM Weight,' Yang Ming continues to advance a deliberate strategy that pairs modern, lower-emission tonnage with skilled crews and international classification standards - positioning the company to serve global trade with greater reliability, efficiency, and environmental responsibility.
