Seatrade has ordered four container ship newbuildings that will have reefer and traditional box tonnage.
The Belgian reefer specialist expects to take delivery of the 1,800-teu eco ships from China’s Huanghai Shipyard in October 2023.
The vessels will have a “high reefer capacity”, with the equivalent of 13,000 pallets for employment on Seatrade’s Fast, Direct & Dedicated (FDD) service.
“This acquisition represents another significant step in Seatrade’s commitment to further develop its services and logistical systems dedicated to the transportation of perishable goods,” the company said.
It did not disclose the financial terms.
The order resumed a newbuilding programme that was designed to beat the competition on price and speed.
“Transit times and associated indirect costs are increasing on services operated by larger container lines,” Seatrade said.
“There remains a clear demand for FDD services operated by specialised reefers, specialised container vessels and hybrid vessels.”
The company is also trying to grow its fleet by ordering more newbuildings and tapping the secondhand market, while staying open to alliances with customer groups or third-party owners in the same segment.
“This latest development is evidence of Seatrade’s long-term commitment to the industry, enabling the company and its worldwide network of dedicated offices to further improve service levels to its customers and partners in the years to come,” it added.
Seatrade’s website lists 40 specialised reefer vessels in its fleet and five “specialised reefer-container vessels” that were built from 1986 to 2019.
TradeWinds reported in April that Seatrade had acquired UK-to-Caribbean liner operator Geest Line.
