Container ship giant Seaspan Corp and Germany's Hapag-Lloyd have rounded off a series of long-term forward charters for 10,000-teu vessels.
The Hamburg-based liner operator has extended charters starting in 2024 on five 10,000-teu ‘Saver Class’ container vessels.
Periods are for six years with rates at $35,000 per day, according to Alphaliner.
The carrier has also fixed additional sister tonnage from the same owner for slightly longer periods of eight years, the analyst notes.
These include the 10,010-teu Seaspan Amazon (built 2014) taken on extension for 70 to 78 months at $35,000 per day.
Seaspan, the container shipping subsidiary of New York Stock Exchange-listed Atlas Corp, is believed to have privately concluded the deals the early summer.
The company has also extended charters with Ocean Network Express (ONE), which partners the German carrier in THE Alliance network.
The Japanese carrier has extended the charter on the 9,592-teu Seaspan Adonis (built 2010), which will be taken for a period of 36 to 38 months from 2023 at $67,500 per day.
Fixing spree
At least 19 vessels with capacities ranging from 9,500 teu to 14,000 teu that are either opted, extended, or freshly fixed over the summer, according to Alphaliner estimates.
These have been taken for new forward period employments starting from next year, 2024 and 2025.
The fixtures include a series of forward charters with Yang Ming Marine Transport.
The Taiwanese operator has declared a series of 24-month forward options on five 14,000-teu vessels controlled by Seaspan.
Rates are listed in the range of $28,355 to $36,695 per day.
The vessels have been forward fixed despite charter rates continuing to soften across the board.
The Alphaliner Charter Rate Index stands at 482.1 points, down from its historic peak of 563.5 points in March.
“This rally demonstrates a confidence from the carrier in the long-term solidity of the demand, despite the current weaker sentiment in the market, fuelled by macroeconomic and geopolitical uncertainties,” Alphaliner writes.
The analyst expects that the persistent shortage of ships across most size segments, and ongoing congestion, will support higher charter rates until at least the end of the year.
