AP Moller-Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd are said to have ordered LNG dual-fuel neo-panamax boxships worth more than $5.8bn at China’s Yangzijiang Shipbuilding.
Industry sources have told TradeWinds that Hapag-Lloyd has ordered up to 18 vessels of 17,000 teu each, while Maersk has contracted 10 container ships of similar size, all for delivery between 2027 and 2029.
Sources said Hapag-Lloyd had increased its original plans for 10 firm ships at Yangzijiang — first reported by TradeWinds in September — to 12 firm newbuildings and raised the number of option vessels from five to six.
It is said to be paying about $210m each.
Sources said Maersk’s ships will cost about $202m each.
They said Yangzijiang is the third shipyard building neo-panamaxes for Maersk. The others are China’s New Times Shipbuilding and South Korea’s Hanwha Ocean.
The contracts with New Times and Hanwha were signed early this month. Each yard is reported to be building six firm vessels with options for four more.
Hapag-Lloyd’s Yangzijiang deal ends the German liner company’s three-year order drought.
The last time it ordered newbuildings was in 2021, when it contracted Hanwha Ocean (formerly Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering) to build six LNG dual-fuel mega-size boxships at a reported price of $165m each.
The South Korean yard has delivered the first of those newbuildings, the 23,500-teu Hamburg Express (built 2024).
Hapag-Lloyd is scheduled to take delivery of two more this year and three in 2025.
If confirmed, the two fresh contracts will lift Yangzijiang’s outstanding orderbook to $26bn for about 250 vessels.
Ren Letian-led Yangzijiang is the largest privately owned shipyard in China. It is expanding its capacity with a new manufacturing base, which is set to be completed by the end of 2026.
It will invest about $413m to build the facility to construct LNG carriers and other clean-energy vessels.
Officials declined to comment on Yangzijiang’s newbuilding activities, citing contract confidentiality.
Maersk said it does not comment on rumours. Hapag-Lloyd declined to confirm at this time.
Official statements are expected on the newbuildings in the coming weeks.
