Tokyo-based Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) has signed a newbuilding contract for what the company describes as next generation car carriers.

The four vessels will be delivered in 2017 and 2018 and serve on MOL’s worldwide car carrier services. The ships will feature deck construction that will be substantially altered to allow 14 decks instead of 12. The number of hoistable decks will also be increased from two to provide greater flexibility.

Ships featuring this revised construction will be known as the “Flexie” series. The four newbuilds will measure 199.95m long with a beam of 32.2 and capacity for 6,800 standard passenger vehicles.