Wan Hai Lines has taken its spending spree on classic panamax and post-panamax boxships to more than $150m.

The Taiwanese operator is acquiring a trio of post-panamax boxships from the Schulte Group in an en bloc deal worth $106m.

The 7,241-teu Astrid Schulte, Adrian Schulte and Astrid Schulte (all built 2009) are being acquired for $35.36m each.

The Asian owner is also paying $32.3m to take the 6,350-teu Hyundai New York (built 2009) from Singapore-based Eastern Pacific Shipping.

Acquisition fund

The Taiwanese owner is emerging as one of the more aggressive buyers in the sale-and-purchase market for boxships.

The company is making its move after setting aside $360m to acquire vessels from 1,800 teu through to 8,500 teu.

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The outfit wasted no time in putting those funds to work in early December by paying $18.25m to acquire the 4,178-teu Teal Hunter (built 2010) from Belgian shipowner Compagnie Maritime Belge.

That takes Wan Hai's confirmed spending in recent weeks on classic panamax and post-panamax boxships to $156.5m.

But the company has also been linked to a number of other deals.

These include the sale by Greek interests earlier in the month of the 6,350-teu Partner Star (ex-MOL Partner, built 2005).

The vessel was reported sold to Wan Hai for $24.5m, having been acquired five months previously for around $10m.

Wan Hai is acquiring vessels from the secondhand market at a time when charter rates are reaching record levels.

Several of its recent stock-exchange announcements confirmed that it has been redelivering a number of chartered containerships to their owners.

Greek owners move in

The S&P market has seen a busy end to the year, with established Greek players also active.

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Brokers reported that the 4,298-teu CPO Baltimore (built 2009) was sold to the Greek shipowner for $15m.

That deal is believed to include a charter with AP Moller-Maersk through to mid-2022 at $18,750 per day.

Costamare has also been linked to the purchase of the 4,178-teu Aglaia (built 2011) from Peter Dohle Schiffahrts.

The vessel has been renamed Neokastro and is in dry dock in Shanghai, according to Alphaliner.

Another Greek owner, Technomar Shipping, is said to have acquired the 4,239-teu Silvia (built 2004) from Germany's Herm Dauelsberg for undisclosed price.

The vessel recently began a two-year charter to Gold Star Line and is deployed in the trades between Asia and West Africa.