MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company has finally called time on two of the oldest container ships in its fleet.
The 1,370-teu Malin (ex-MSC Malin, built 1982) is reported sold to buyers in Turkey on private terms, according to demolition brokers.
It follows the sale a week earlier of the sister ship MSC Eyra (built 1982) to Indian buyers.
The MSC Eyra arrived in Alang on 25 October having fetched $501 per ldt, or $5.3m, demolition brokers said.
That is slightly less than the $5.6m fetched by another sister ship, the 1,370-teu MSC Iris (built 1982), which was sold for green recycling earlier in the year.
The veteran ships number among several vessels that are owned or bareboat chartered by MSC’s close partner, Niki Shipping.
These include the 1,879-teu MSC Adele (built 1986) which was sold earlier this month to a company-approved ship-recycling facility.
MSC Alexa
Capping MSC’s latest demolition spree is the sale of the 3,301-teu MSC Alexa (built 1996).
The vessel has reportedly been sold to buyers in Alang at $491 per ldt, or $7.9m, including some bunkers.
The MSC Alexa is also the very first newbuilding ever ordered by the shipping line back in 1994, according to Alphaliner.
It was also the last container ship to be built by Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri.
MSC has led the way in what has been a quiet period for container demolition.
The company still has a handful of ships built in the 1980s that have somehow managed to soldier on through the many ups and downs in the liner sector during their four decades of service.
The Geneva-based carrier still operates about 300 ships which were built in or before 2004.
Many of these vessels will become candidates for demolition in the coming years when the newbuildings hit the water.