Zim has entered into a $1bn deal with Shell to supply LNG for 10 container ship newbuildings for 10 years.

The New York-listed liner operator plans to deploy the 15,000-teu, LNG-fuelled vessels on its ZIM Container Service Pacific (ZCP) from China and South Korea to the US East Coast and the Caribbean next year.

Zim, which charters in 119 container ships and owns another eight boxships, said it may apply the agreement with Shell to other routes on which it deploys LNG-fuelled boxships.