China United Lines (CULines) has teamed up with Yangzijiang Shipbuilding to order a pair of feederships worth an estimated $60m.
The liner operator inked the contracts for two 2,400-teu vessels at its Shanghai headquarters this week.
They will join its fleet in 2023 and are intended to operate in the intra-Asian trade.
The value of the order has not been disclosed. However, the Singapore-listed shipbuilder signed similar orders recently at around $30m per vessel.
In April, China's Sinotrans Container Lines contracted Yangzijiang to build two 2,400-teu vessels, due for delivery in the third quarter of 2023.
Modernise fleet
The CULines order comes three months after it signed what is believed to have been the first newbuilding order in its history, placing orders for four 1,900-teu ships at Huangpu Wenchong Shipbuilding in March.
The company wants the newbuilds to modernise its fleet and to maintain the capacity it needs to grow with increased demand.
It said the investment programme is focused on reducing environmental impact, increasing efficiency and economies of scale.
The SDARI-designed vessels will meet the requirements of the IMO Energy Efficiency Design Index phase 3.
They will be pre-installed with digital smart ship management systems, allowing real-time monitoring and centralised management of navigational equipment, engine room equipment and reefer containers.
The two newbuildings ordered this week will be the largest owned vessels in CULines’ fleet.
Clarksons’ Shipping Intelligence Network shows that the company owns two feeder vessels: the 1,016-teu Zhong Lian Hai Xia (built 1995) and 599-teu Zhong Lian Shan Tou (built 2005).
However, it is expanding its operations beyond the traditional services linking China, Taiwan, South East Asia and the Indian subcontinent.
In June, it launched a fortnightly service, Asia Europe Express, operated with four ships of between 3,000 teu and 4,400 teu.
CULines is also rumoured to be looking to start a service in the booming transpacific trades.
