Taipei liner player Kanway Line has ordered two feeder-sized containerships at China’s Guangzhou Huangpu Shipyard Offshore Engineering Co.
Kanway’s first-ever newbuildings have been ordered as part of its strategy to transition from a non-vessel operating container carrier (NVOCC) to a fully fledged shipowner and operator.
The IHS Ships Register indicated that the 1,911-teu duo will be delivered in early 2022.
Although some market sources have indicated that the order includes options for a further two ships, TradeWinds was unable to confirm this with Kanway, whose executives were not available for comment when contacted on Monday.
The company, which was known as Fuhai Line until 2007, has for more than two decades operated as an NVOCC focusing on liner services between Taiwan, China, Hong Kong, South Korea and Vietnam.
It took tentative steps into shipowning in 2010, when it acquired the 1,675-teu containership ACX Magnolia (built 1998, renamed Kanway Global) from Toda Kisen of Japan for a reported $7.75m.
It followed up in 2014 with the 1,613-teu ACX Marguerite (built 1997, renamed Kanway Galaxy), acquired from NYK Line for $5m.
Both ships are operated by Kanway’s shipmanangement affiliate, China Famous Co. Boxship sources tell TradeWinds that the ships are sometimes chartered out to other intra-Asia liner players.
IHS lists the Kanway Global as having recently been operated by Samudera Shipping Line.
The database lists Guangzhou Huangpu — part of the CSSC Huangpu Wenchong Shipbuilding group — with an orderbook of 20 vessels of various types.
