German’s Hapag-Lloyd is expected to draw up an initial shortlist of shipyards within days, following its tender for up to 30 LNG dual-fuelled container ship newbuildings.
Brokers and newbuilding sources named Chinese yards New Times Shipbuilding, Jiangnan Shipyard, Yangzijiang Shipbuilding, Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding and newcomer Hengli Heavy Industry among those wanting to compete for a mix of tonnage.
In South Korea, Hanwha Ocean and HD Hyundai Heavy Industries are expected to make a play for the larger vessels, with HHI also interested in building the smaller ships.
Hapag-Lloyd is expected to make an initial shipyard shortlist next week. Some observers of the business said a further shortlisting may then take place with the intention of securing berths by October.
At the start of August, TradeWinds revealed that Hapag-Lloyd had floated a tender for 10 vessels of between 15,000 teu and 16,000 teu and 10 of between 8,000 teu and 9,000 teu. The liner company also requested optional berths for five additional ships in each size range.
The shipowner and operator was also said to be seeking offers on six firm ships, with four optional vessels in both sizes.
Hapag-Lloyd is believed to be focused on LNG dual-fuelled vessels for this business.
A spokesman for Hapag-Lloyd said the company does not comment on any market speculation.
He added: “We have not taken any decision about additional newbuilds.
“However, we are talking to shipyards as part of our day-to-day business and we are constantly evaluating opportunities to further modernise our fleet, aiming at meeting our overarching goal to becoming net-zero-carbon by 2045.”
This year’s new wave of container ship newbuildings is ramping up to tsunami-like proportions as the big names, including AP Moller-Maersk, start to snap up berth space, squeezing out room for other tonnage types and helping yards elevate prices.
But brokers report a growing awareness among the big liner players that it may be to their advantage to accentuate the battle for slots.
Earlier this month, Hapag-Lloyd chief executive Rolf Habben Jansen said he was unconcerned by the order surge, pointing to the demand and vessel scrapping expectations.
He added that his company is looking at berths with deliveries towards the end of this decade.
He told analysts in a results call that Hapag-Lloyd would place an order in the next 12 months.
According to shipbroker Clarksons, the container ship orderbook is now at over 22% of the existing fleet with 694 vessels on order.
