The new S-type vessels are particularly noteworthy in that they incorporate many new environmental features that go well beyond the requirements of new and soon-to-be-introduced international requirements.

Dr Chang believes that all shipowners have a duty to minimise the impact of their operations on the global environment:

"We should not wait for legislation to be introduced. We should use the latest technology as soon as it is available so as to minimise the impact of container shipping operations both on marine life and on port communities."

"Although our market is price-driven and highly competitive with our customers all seeking to achieve the lowest shipping costs, we know that most of them are also very aware of the environmental issues. We can assure them that Evergreen will provide first-class services whilst maintaining the highest environmental standards."

The S-class ships incorporate a double-skinned hull and all fuel tanks have been located within the transverse bulkhead spaces thus minimising the risk of oil pollution or fire as a result of grounding or collision. A high capacity oily water separator enables the oil content of waste water to be reduced to just 15 ppm while much larger separator bilge oil and bilge oil holding tanks provide more storage capacity than normal, enabling the vessels to avoid any discharge when sailing in sensitive areas and to maximise the amount of waste that can be held for ultimate disposal in specialised shore facilities.

Similar arrangements have been made for handling sewage and so-called grey water, including water from the cargo hold bilges, when the vessels are in port or close to shore.

The main engines and generators incorporate low NOx technology while the ships are also able to switch to low sulphur fuels when sailing in restricted areas such as the Baltic Sea.

'Cold-ironing', the ability to shut down all shipboard generators while in port, switching to shore-based electricity supplies, is also a feature of the S-class vessels. So far, only the Port of Los Angeles has initiated an Alternative Maritime Power (AMP) programme that require ships to shut down their diesel generators while in port but Evergreen expects many more ports to follow LA's lead. The Group estimates that the cost of meeting AMP requirements amounts to approximately $ 2m per vessel.

The latest tin-free anti-fouling systems are also being used for the underwater hull coatings of the S-types and are being applied to other vessels in the Evergreen fleet when they undergo routine drydockings. These new coatings are replacing systems that, although highly efficient and widely used globally, were found to have a negative impact on marine life.

Evergreen has chosen to class those S-class vessels allocated to Hatsu with Lloyd's Register (LR) while those for operation by Evergreen Marine Corporation will be classed with the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS). It will be applying to LR for EP (environment protection) notation and to ABS for the equivalent ES (environment safety) notation.

With an overall length of 300 metres and a beam of 42.8 metres, the S-class vessel are able to carry containers 17 rows across on deck and 15 rows across below deck. They have a deadweight of 78,200 tonnes on a service draft of 14.2 metres. Each vessel has a single 10-cylinder Mitsubishi Sulzer 10RTA 96C main engine developing 74,700 bhp (54,900 KW) to provide for a service speed of 25.3 knots.

The carriage of temperature-controlled containers, an increasingly important revenue source, is made possible with the provision of 839 reefer plugs.