Eastern Pacific Shipping has secured charters for its entire orderbook of container ship newbuildings with a fresh round of deals with French liner operator CMA CGM.
The two companies have also concluded a multi-charter agreement involving feeder newbuildings through to larger midsize container vessels.
Brokers believe the Idan Ofer-controlled tonnage provider will charter to CMA CGM two 7,000-teu newbuildings, along with six of 3,000 teu and two of 1,800 teu.
The vessels are slated for forward deliveries in the third quarter of this year through to January 2025.
The deals mean the Singapore-based owner has now secured charters for the entirety of its large container newbuilding orderbook, TradeWinds understands.
The charters would leave the company with 33 container vessels chartered to CMA CGM, according to Alphaliner.
That includes 15 units of 15,264 teu already on the water as well as five ships of 6,983 teu and three units of 7,928 teu set to join the French carrier by the end of 2024, the analyst said.
Recent fixtures are believed to comprise six 2,954-teu vessels under construction at Fujian Mawei Shipbuilding. These ships are due for delivery between December 2023 and August 2024.
CMA CGM is also said to be taking the final two 7,000-teu vessels under construction for Eastern Pacific at China’s New Times Shipbuilding for delivery in November 2024 and January 2025.
The vessels are sisters to five units that CMA CGM has already agreed to charter from Eastern Pacific for long-term periods.
Flurry of fixtures
The last two vessels involved in the deal are said to be a brace of 1,800-teu units under construction at Hyundai Mipo Dockyard, with delivery expected in the last quarter of 2023.
The charters would complete a flurry of fixtures for larger container ships that sees MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company extending charters on three older boxships.
The liner giant is reportedly paying in the region of $30,000 per day for the 8,073-teu Conti Courage (built 2005) and two sisters on direct continuation from the middle of 2024.
The traditional panamax market also scored some strong charters, reflecting a shortage of tonnage in the coming months.
Benchmark rates for 4,250-teu vessels are about $24,000 per day for a two-year period.
Some fixtures have been higher with the Zhonggu Logistics-owned, 4,636-teu Zhong Gu Xi An (built 2023) going to Singapore-based operator SeaLead for up to 10 months at $27,000 per day.
However, the older 4,444-teu Marianetta (built 2003) reportedly secured $21,000 for a two-year charter with MSC starting at the end of the year.
