News / Maersk and Hapag dip into charter market to boost Gemini fleet

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Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd have become more active in the charter market as they gear up to launch their Gemini Cooperation arrangement in February.

Last week, Maersk chartered three 2004 7,847 teu ships, GSL Eleni, GSL Grania and GSL Kalliopi, from Global Ship Lease for three years at $34,000 a day. Maersk has also taken a feeder vessel, Rudolf Schepers’ Julius-S, for two years at $24,000 a day.

Meanwhile Hapag-Lloyd last week chartered the 2015-built 6,882 teu Jamaica Express from GSL, at $43,500 a day for five years, TB Marine’s 2013-built 3,884 teu Osaka, for $36,000 a day for three years, and the 2014-built 5,466 teu Euphrates from Danaos.

Linerlytica this week noted: “Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd are particularly keen to secure additional tonnage ahead of the launch of the Gemini Cooperation, with Maersk in particular making a belated effort to narrow the massive lead MSC has built up in the past four years.”

MSC overtook Maersk to top the liner operator rankings in 2022 and has been relentlessly expanding its lead, with numerous newbuilding orders and second-hand vessel purchases that have boosted the Swiss-Italian carrier’s fleet to over 6m teu, which dwarfs the combined 3.4m teu the Gemini alliance proposes to operate.

Last month, Maersk CEO Vincent Clerc disclosed that the company wants to order or charter 800,000 teu of LNG dual-fuelled vessels this year, which would be delivered from 2026 to 2030. Of this, 300,000 teu is to be owned.

Maersk is also understood to have ordered 18 16,000 teu ships at Hanwha Ocean, New Times Shipbuilding and Yangzijiang Shipbuilding, each yard producing six vessels. The orders come with options for 10 more ships.

Hapag-Lloyd is reportedly looking to order vessels of between 15,000 teu and 16,000 teu and ten others of between 8,000 teu and 9,000 teu. Major shipyards in South Korea and China have been invited to submit bids.