Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) has announced that the company has signed a deal for constructing four 20,000-TEU mega containerships with Samsung Heavy Industries. It also concluded an MoU for long-term chartering of two 20,000-TEU containerships with Shoei Kisen Kaisha Ltd.

The six vessels will be launched and delivered in 2017, and will serve the Asia-Europe trade, the company said in a release.

The 20,000-TEU type is the world's largest among delivered and on order containerships. The newbuildings will adopt various highly advanced energy-saving technologies, which will further reduce fuel consumption and cost in comparison with the 14,000-TEU types that MOL currently operates.

The main engines have specifications that enable LNG use as fuel in future remodeling, the release pointed out.

MOL continues to offer high-quality and competitive services through fleet expansion, the release highlighted.