CMA CGM expands 6,000-teu box fleet with new orders and charters
Containership newbuilding orders this week have been dominated by 6,000 teu-plus ships, but interest in ...
Heng Hui 6. Photo: VesselFinder
By Alison Koo
As availability of feeder ships tightens and waiting times for newbuild deliveries increase, European liner operators and tonnage suppliers have been seeking them from Chinese owners.
Those that have in-service feeders, or newbuildings being delivered in the next two years, told The Loadstar brokers had been knocking on their doors.
A manager at Shishi Hengtong Shipping, which owns the 2007-built 3,768 teu Heng Hui 5 and 2004-built 5,060 teu Heng Hui 6, told The Loadstar S&P brokers often called to see if they were for sale.
The manager said: “They say they have ready buyers in Europe willing to pay a good price in today’s market. However, for now, we’d like to wait and see, as we’re getting a steady revenue from chartering out our vessels to mainline operators.”
Both Heng Hui 5 and Heng Hui 6 have been on long-term charter to French line CMA CGM and are deployed to China-Red Sea services. Daily charter rates for small and mid-sized ships range from $16,000-$36,000.
Meanwhile, another Chinese boxship owner, Xiamen Haitao Shipping, is reportedly negotiating to sell a new feeder vessel, Hai Tao 303, to a European tonnage provider. Hai Tao 303 is being built at Ningbo Penghong Shipbuilding, for delivery in December.
In November, Xiamen Haitao sold the 2002-built 2,495 teu Kawa Ningbo to undisclosed buyers, earning a 69% profit on the $22m selling price.
Even though regional shorter-distance trade is growing faster than long-distance trade, demand for smaller ships remains weak. A lack of newbuilding deliveries has supported charter rates. Major shipyards are now full, with vessel deliveries stretching into 2030.
MB Shipbrokers noted that geopolitical uncertainty and inflation continued to draw interest in containerships, increasingly viewed as offering resilient returns, contributing to further broadening the buyer base.
The Danish broker said: “As many owners are keen to position themselves to benefit from the still-strong charter market, resale units with delivery from this year into early 2027 are of particular interest. This dynamic continued to support values and maintain buyer interest, even in the absence of finalised deals this week.”
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