The Mediterranean Shipping Co (MSC) is being linked to a charter deal involving a series of 8,000-teu containerships ordered by Seaspan Corporation.
TradeWinds earlier reported Seaspan is working with South Korea’s K Shipbuilding on a project to order a total of eight 8,000-teu container ships.
Market sources in the Far East said MSC will pick up the newbuildings on a long-term charter basis for an undisclosed period of time.
MSC and Seaspan have been contacted for comment. K Shipbuilding declined to comment on the order.
The ships will be dual-fuel LNG ships and cost just under $130m each, bringing the value of the contract up to $1bn total.
The ships will be delivered from the middle of 2024 through to the end of 2025.
It looks like Seaspan has got a good deal at K Shipbuilding, judging by the pricing of similar recent deals.
Record high
MSC recently signed up for six 7,900-teu container ships at Hyundai Heavy Industries costing close to $134m each. The LNG dual-fuel box ships are also setting a new record high for prices in the sector.
The K Shipbuilding deal adds to Seaspan’s already bulging containership orderbook. It has 36 vessels of 15,000 teu, six ships of 11,800 teu and 25 units at of 7,000 teu lined up for construction.
The contract also marks a debut in the container ship sector for K Shipbuilding.
Following a recent change of ownership the yard — formerly known as STX Offshore & Shipbuilding — has been seeking to develop outside its traditional focus on tankers.
