News / Orders for new box ships continue to arrive at shipyards, despite rate fears

Photo: © Jason Row

Liner operators and tonnage providers continue to defy the downward pressure on freight rates with new orders for box ships this week.

Taiwanese operator Yang Ming fulfilled its newbuild plan by ordering three more 8,000 teu methanol-ready ships from Japan’s Imabari Shipbuilding and its subsidiary, Nihon Shipyard, yesterday, for $351.33m.

The carrier’s plan was to boost its fleet with six 8,000 teu and seven 15,000 teu new ships. The first batch, of three 8,000 teu ships, were ordered from the same shipyard in March and last Thursday, Yang Ming ordered the 15,000 teu vessels from South Korea’s Hanwha Ocean, for around $1.53bn.

MSC has continued to consolidate its position as the largest operator, inking deals for six more LNG dual-fuelled 21,700 teu box ships at Zhoushan Changhong International , bringing the number of its newbuildings there to 10.

The Swiss-Italian operator has also ordered three more 21,000 teu LNG dual-fuelled ships from Jiangsu Hantong Ship Heavy Industry, raising its newbuilding tally there to 15 vessels.

These ships, costing $220m-$235m each, mean MSC now has no fewer than 74 ultra-large container vessels (ULCVs) on order, to be delivered between 2027 and 2029.

And MPC Container Ships ordered four 4,500 teu ships for $228m at Taizhou Sanfu Ship Engineering last Friday. According to Clarksons, they will be methanol- and ammonia-ready, and will be chartered to Cosco for three years after delivery in late 2027.

Other newbuilding orders in the past week have mainly been for feeders.

Idan Ofer’s Eastern Pacific Shipping has booked six 1,800 teu ships at China Merchants Jinling Shipyard, for $180m, for delivery between 2027 and 2028.

Evangelos Marinakis’ Capital Shipping & Trading has booked a 2,800 teu pair at HD Hyundai Mipo for $114m, for delivery in 2027, taking its newbuilding tally there to 10 vessels.

South Korean operator CK Line has ordered two 1,100 teu feeders from Yangzijiang Shipbuilding in China, for $92m, with delivery in mid-2027.

These are CK Line’s first newbuilding orders since 2023, and follow the 2,700 teu pair coming from CSSC Huangpu Wenchong Shipbuilding this year.