CMA CGM Jacques Saade

The new year has seen French carrier CMA CGM inviting offers from South Korean and Chinese yards to build another round of newbuildings.

CMA CGM has invited quotes for a dozen 18,000 teu vessels, is also mulling ten new 11,000 teu ships and is said to be doubling down on its order last July for 12 15,500 teu ships from HD Hyundai Heavy Industries – all would be LNG dual-fuelled.

Currently, with a 3.84m teu capacity fleet, CMA CGM is the third-largest liner operator, behind MSC and Maersk, but its 1.14m teu orderbook far exceeds Maersk’s 757,980 teu and if the French carrier finalises its planned orders, it could surpass Maersk in the ranking when the newbuildings are all delivered, in 2027 and 2028.

Also on the hunt for new tonnage is Evergreen, apparently seeking 11 24,000 teu mewbuilds and has invited shipyards to tender, and Kawa Shipping, a newcomer.

Kawa launched a Ningbo-Wilhelmshaven service last week and, according to Alphaliner, has, ordered three 4,800 teu ships at China’s Wuhu Shipyard, with an option for another. Each ship will cost around $60m and deliveries are scheduled for H1 27.

For reference, Clarksons data shows the currentprice of a 1,800 to 2,100 teu newbuilding at about $32.5m, up around 7% on last year.

Kawa, said to be owned by Turkish and UAE interests, is believed to operate four chartered ships ranging from 1,600-2,400 teu.

Meanwhile, German shipowner Elbdeich Reederei has returned to CSSC Huangpu Wenchong Shipbuilding for two 1,900 teu conventionally fuelled ships, with options for another two, each priced at $32.2m, with delivery scheduled for early 2027.

Elbdeich’s previous order for four 1,250 teu methanol dual-fuelled box ships from Wenchong are bound for long-term charter to Unifeeder upon delivery in 2026. Unifeeder will assign them to its intra-Europe network.

Check out this clip from The Loadstar Podcast on Asia-Europe and Transpac contracts

Speaker: Henrik Schilling, managing director, global commercial development at Hapag-Lloyd

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