News / A record year for box ship orders, as greener-shipping rules loom

Photo: Hapag-Lloyd

More new containerships have been commissioned from shipyards this week, with orders this year set to be a record number.

Figures from VesselsValue show that 254 box ships have been ordered this year.

Stringent environmental regulations are prompting fleet renewals, while mainline operators seem certain the Red Sea crisis will continue, keeping tonnage supply tight.

Besides the 24 ships Hapag-Lloyd announced yesterday, this week has seen Pacific International Lines (PIL) order five 9,000 teu vessels and Korea Marine Transport (KMTC Line)reportedly two 8,700 teu ships.

Last week, The Loadstar reported market talk that Hapag-Lloyd had ordered a dozen 17,000 teu ships at China’s New Times Shipbuilding. However, this has turned out to be just talk.

PIL announced its latest newbuilding orders on Tuesday, this time at Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding. The LNG dual-fuelled ships will be delivered in 2027 and 2028. The Singapore-based carrier now has 18 ships on order, with the 9,000 teu ships likely to serve Far East-Middle East/Indian Subcontinent routes.

PIL CEO Lars Kastrup said: “Our aim is to replace up to half our fleet in the next decade with modern new ships and charters. These are a significant step towards our green shipping goal of achieving net zero emissions by 2050, while increasing operational and cost efficiencies, improving services to our customers as well as enhancing the welfare of our crew.”

The price was not disclosed, although Alphaliner’s report this week stated that the vessels would possibly cost between $124m-$128m each.

Yesterday, HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering said an “Asian customer” had ordered two 8,700 teu ships at its subsidiary, HD Hyundai Samho Heavy Industries. The ships, priced at $114.7m each, would be delivered by March 2027.

Brokers have linked KMTC Line with this order, which coincides with the 60-year-old intra-Asia carrier’s entry into mid-haul lanes. If confirmed, the vessels will be the largest in its fleet; currently, the biggest are 6,655 teu.

In July, KMTC Line joined X-Press Feeders’ India-Red Sea Express 2 service, connecting India with the Red Sea, as a co-loader. A year ago, KMTC began offering Far East-East Africa services through a joint East Africa Express service with TS Lines, Emirates Shipping Line, Global Feeder Shipping and Interasia Lines.

At the time of writing, other liner operators and tonnage providers are reportedly discussing newbuild orders. MPC Container Ships is believed to be lining up an orders for two 4,350 teu ships, with options for two more. MPC has reportedly reached out to Dalian-based Hengli Heavy Industries, which can offer deliveries in mid-2026.

In September, Hengli supposedly won orders for ten 21,000 teu LNG dual-fuelled ships from MSC.

Shipbuilding sources also told The Loadstar that Evergreen is seeking 11 methanol dual-fuelled 24,000 teu ships, for about $2.75bn. but the Taiwanese liner operator does not respond to queries about newbuilding orders.