US owner Dole Fresh Fruit has opted for state-owned Chengxi Shipyard in China as it renews its boxship fleet - the yard's debut in the containership sector.
Broker Clarksons said the company has signed up for two 1,830-teu feeder boxships for delivery in the first half of 2021.
But another shipbuilding player told TradeWinds the vessels are 2,500 teu.
The contract does not include options.
The China State Shipbuilding Corp yard declined to confirm whether Dole had ordered the newbuildings, citing contract confidentiality.
However, it admitted securing orders for reefer containerships late last year.
“Chengxi is known for building bulk carriers and small-size tankers," a shipbuilding broker said. "It has never built containerships before. The yard has made a debut into the boxship sector through Dole’s order.”
The price for the newbuildings has not been disclosed but shipbuilding sources suggest they will likely cost at least $45m each.
Dole has 15 vessels including reefers, with three feeders built in 2015 and 2016 at Hyundai Mipo.
But the rest date from the 1980s and 1990s.
TradeWinds reported last August that the US fruit giant was set to contract up to four reefer containership newbuildings worth at least $180m as it sought to renew its fleet.
The California-based company had approached shipyards in China for two firm 2,500-teu ships with reefer-plug capacity for 900 40-foot equivalent units.
The deal was said to include options for two more vessels.
Singapore-listed Yangzijiang Shipbuilding, China State Shipbuilding Corp, Huangpu Wenchong Shipbuilding and Chengxi Shipyard were among the yards in the running.
