CMES Welcomes CM GUANGZHOU, Its Third Methanol Dual-Fuel PCTC

China Merchants Energy Shipping (CMES) held the christening and delivery ceremony for its new methanol dual-fuel PCTC, the CM GUANGZHOU, also known as "Guangrong," on October 10, 2026, in Yizheng, Jiangsu province. This is the third vessel of this type received by the company and the first of 7,800 CEU under a joint six-vessel program agreed between CMES and China Merchants Industry, structured as two firm vessels plus four optional ones.

The vessel was built by China Merchants Jinling Shipyard in Nanjing and measures 199.9 meters in length overall by 37.7 meters in beam. Although its design capacity is 7,800 CEU, it can carry up to 8,102 vehicles across its 13 cargo decks, totaling 67,076 square meters. It is equipped with a dual-fuel propulsion system that allows it to operate on conventional fuel or methanol, meets IMO Tier III emission standards, and, according to the shipyard, can cut greenhouse gas emissions by more than 70% across its full life cycle when sailing on green methanol.

The vessel was christened by Sun Jianfeng, external director of China Merchants Group, while Deng Lei, director and chairwoman of the GAC Group union, served as godmother and performed the ribbon-cutting. The event was attended by representatives from CMES, China Merchants Industry, GAC Group, and other companies linked to the industrial chain. Immediately after delivery, the CM GUANGZHOU berthed at the Longtan port area in Nanjing and loaded its first shipment of 1,530 vehicles bound for Barcelona, Spain, via a new direct ro-ro service connecting Nanjing with Europe. Its arrival marked the largest vehicle carrier ever to call at the Port of Nanjing, with a maximum capacity approximately 81% higher than the previous record.

The CM GUANGZHOU joins the CMES fleet following the deliveries of the 9,300 CEU CM HONG KONG in September 2025 and its sister vessel CM SHENZHEN in December of the same year. With this third delivery, the construction program—which combines two 9,300 CEU vessels and four 7,800 CEU vessels—has three units left to deliver, all of them 7,800 CEU.

CMES's bet on methanol comes amid a landscape in which PCTC operators worldwide are pursuing different paths toward decarbonization. Wallenius Wilhelmsen also chose methanol dual-fuel propulsion for its vessel Arctic Tern, delivered in July 2026. Höegh Autoliners combines LNG dual-fuel engines with future ammonia-ready capability, NYK Line continues expanding its LNG-powered vehicle carrier fleet, and Italy's Grimaldi Group is backing ammonia-ready designs, such as its vessel Grande Pacifico, delivered in August 2026.