Tailwind Shipping Lines is building up its shipowning interests with the acquisition of its second container vessel.
The company, which was established as an affiliate of supermarket giant Lidl, has purchased the 803-teu Music (built 2007) feeder vessel from German owner Kopping Reederei.
The ship has an estimated value of $11m and is the second acquisition by the fledgling shipping operation.
It takes the German supermarket’s spending on secondhand boxships to around $120m.
In April, Tailwind bought the 5,527-teu wide-beam Talassa (built 2005) from Hamburg owner Peter Dohle Schiffahrts in a deal said to be worth around $109m.
Tailwind has already chartered the 4,957-teu Wiking (built 2016), its 4,957-teu sister vessel Jadrana (built 2014) and the 3,868-teu Merkur Ocean (built 2013) from a trio of German owners.
The vessels have been short-term let to liner operators ahead of joining Lidl’s own shipping operation for longer charters later this year.
It is expected that Tailwind will operate them on the Asia-Europe trade.
MSC continues buying
Meanwhile, Mediterranean Shipping Co (MSC) has turned to the Chinese market for more container tonnage.
It picked up the 5,089-teu Xin Feng Yang Pu (built 2006) — the largest of six vessels operated by Dalian-based Trawind Shipping — for $70m, according to brokers.
But the deal represents a softening on what was probably achievable in March, when MSC reportedly offered around $80m for the vessel, according to Braemar ACM Shipbroking.
MSC has also paid $15.5m for the 1,098-teu Glory Fortune (built 2006). It is owned by Shanghai Hai Hua (Hasco) and is on charter to X-Press Feeders in intra-Asian trades.
The Geneva-based liner giant had previously purchased the 1,736-teu A Hoken (built 2004) from China-based Starocean for just $24m.
MSC is estimated to have bought 190 container ships since embarking on a huge buying spree in August 2020, according to Alphaliner.
Other carriers turning to the Chinese market for tonnage include France’s CMA CGM, which has acquired the 1,708-teu Stellar Windsor (built 2009).
Price is not disclosed, but the vessel is estimated to be worth $40m, according to brokers. It was purchased by China’s SITC Group in September 2019 for $8m.
