Seaspan deepens Maersk charter tie with fleet‑wide retrofits

Each vessel will receive a shaft generator to cut auxiliary engine fuel use.

Seaspan Corporation Pte. Ltd. has deepened its long-running charter partnership with A.P. Moller – Maersk, launching a fleet-wide efficiency programme covering 18 vessels on long-term charter to the shipping giant.

The centrepiece is a retrofit of four 13,000 TEU vessels, one of the largest upgrade efforts undertaken across the companies' shared fleet in more than 20 years of partnership.

Each vessel will receive a shaft generator to cut auxiliary engine fuel use, main engine performance optimisation, a new high-efficiency propeller and pre-swirl device, and carbon capture readiness for future emissions rules.

The lashing bridge will also be raised, and deadweight increased to boost cargo capacity.

Combined, the retrofits are projected to improve slot cost by roughly 10 to 13% per vessel.

Total investment across completed and planned upgrades for the 18-vessel fleet stands at approximately $75m, with additional decarbonisation initiatives still in development.

In a related move, WattSpan — Seaspan's maritime technology joint venture — signed a non-binding, one-year Memorandum of Cooperation with Maersk and COSCO Shipyard covering joint development and information-sharing on vessel upgrades and decarbonisation technology, with commercial execution to follow under separate agreements.