Hong Kong liner company OOCL has signed up for seven more 23,000-teu containership newbuildings at two Chinese shipyards.

Dalian Cosco KHI Ship Engineering Co (Dacks) will build four vessels costing $157.71m each, while Nantong Cosco KHI Ship Engineering Co (Nacks) will construct three ships costing $157.68m apiece.

They are slated for delivery between the third quarter of 2023 and the third quarter of 2024.

The septet is believed to be costing OOCL an additional $2m per ship above the cost of five similar vessels it ordered at the two shipyards in March.

These earlier vessels — two at Dacks and three at Nacks — were reportedly priced at $155.68m each. These ships are due to be delivered in 2023.

The latest seven orders bring the number of 23,000-teu containerships ordered by OOCL this year to 12, with total capital expenditure amounting to more than $1.88bn.

Based on the price, newbuildings players believe OOCL has opted for conventionally fuelled vessels instead of dual-fuel ships.

OOCL said it chose to build the containerships at Dacks and Nacks as offers from both shipyards were the best among bidders in terms of price, technical terms and delivery schedule.

OOCL was taken over by Cosco in 2018 in a deal valued at $6.3bn. The takeover resulted in the Chinese state-owned Cosco becoming the third-largest liner company in the world, with a fleet of 504 vessels and a box carrying capacity of 3.03m teu.

OOCL reported positive earnings for the third quarter of its 2020 financial year that ended on 30 September. It saw a 9.5% increase in cargo volume to 1.95m teu from the same period last year, despite disruptions caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

Its transatlantic trade volume was up 22.6%, while transpacific volumes grew by 11%. Revenue rose by 16.3% to $1.9bn, with loadable capacity increasing by 5.5%.

OOCL said the overall load factor was 3.1% higher than the same period in 2019.