MSC’s Orderbook Surpasses 2 Million TEU with New LNG Dual-Fuel Ship Orders
MSC has returned to Zhoushan Changhong International Shipyard to place an order for up to eight LNG dual-fuelled ships, each with a capacity of 21 700 TEU, further solidifying its leading position among liner operators.
The shipyard announced the order on Friday and clarified previous reports regarding Greek shipping magnate George Economou’s TMS Dry, which had been said to have commissioned six LNG dual-fuelled ships with a capacity of 11 400 TEU; in reality, there are ten firm orders. MSC’s order consists of four vessels, with options for an additional four, while TMS Dry also holds options for four more ships.
Source: wikipedia.org
Over the past three years, MSC has ordered ten ships of 11 500 TEU, ten ships of 10 300 TEU, and a dozen ships of 19 000 TEU from Zhoushan Changhong. The yard stated:
“We have become MSC’s largest shipbuilding partner, which is a testament to our skills in constructing LNG-powered boxships.”
The price for the latest order has not been disclosed, but according to VesselsValue, each ship is estimated to cost around $220 million. MB Shipbrokers reported that the first three vessels are expected to be delivered in 2027, with the remainder following in the subsequent year.
The vessels ordered by MSC and TMS Dry will be constructed based on designs from CIMC ORIC, a division of China International Marine Containers, the largest container manufacturer in the world. With this latest order, MSC’s orderbook now exceeds 2,06 million TEU, representing 32 % of its active fleet. Notably, MSC’s orderbook now surpasses the entire operating fleet of ONE, which stands at 1,97 million TEU.
In the meantime, CMA CGM, which has an orderbook of 1,32 million TEU and could potentially overtake Maersk Line in the rankings, recently commissioned up to a dozen 18 000 TEU ships (eight firm orders and four options) for $2,5 billion at Jiangnan Shipyard in China, following an order for 12 vessels of 15 500 TEU from HD Hyundai Heavy Industries.
However, Maersk, with an orderbook of 758 622 TEU, is reportedly not resting on its laurels and is looking to place an order for another 30 containerships. The Danish carrier has reached out to Chinese shipbuilders for up to a dozen LNG dual-fuelled ships with a capacity of 15 000 TEU, and shipowner Seaspan is said to be in discussions regarding new builds for long-term charter to Maersk.
