While MPC Capital is entering the offshore market, the investor platform MPC Container Ships, which is listed on the Oslo stock exchange, is ordering further newbuildings.
MPC and MPC Container Ships (MPCC) have recently invested in neo-Panamax ships with a capacity of 5,500 TEU, which could also run on methanol fuel in the future. This is now being followed by orders for newbuilds of the classic Panamax size.
MPCC wants to order 2+2 Panamax newbuildings
According to broker reports, the company has signed a letter of intent (LOI) for up to four newbuildings. These are said to be two firm orders and two options for vessels with a capacity of 4,350 TEU, which are to be built at Hengli in Dalian, China.
Delivery could then take place in 2026. The price per ship is quoted at around US$60m.
The “Colorado”, the second newbuilding in the Ecobox series, was delivered in July. It is being chartered by the Israeli carrier Zim. A total of six of the “Ecobox” newbuildings were ordered in Korea from HJ Shipbuilding & Construction – four of them on behalf of the Norwegian ship investor Ocean Yield and two on behalf of MPC Container Ships (MPCC). They were built by the Korean shipyard (formerly Hanjin).
After Ecobox comes Greenbox
After the Ecobox ships, MPCC has two more, albeit smaller, feeder ships in the pipeline. The feeders ordered in China are also designed for methanol and have a capacity of 1,300 TEU. These newbuildings are due to join the fleet by the end of the year. They have the necessary ice class for year-round operation along the west coast of Norway.
Another feeder (also 1,300 TEU) ordered by MPCC together with Unifeeder at the beginning of 2024 is due to be delivered at the end of 2026. The newbuilding, which is equipped with a methanol-capable dual-fuel main engine, will enter into a 7-year charter contract with shortsea shipping company Unifeeder. With ice class 1A, it is perfectly equipped for Baltic Sea traffic.
The Hamburg-based MPC Group has €4.1bn in assets under management in ships alone. The investments include the stake in MPC Container Ships (MPCC), which is listed on the Oslo stock exchange and is now the largest single shareholder with 14%. Its fleet most recently comprised 56 ships with a total capacity of around 126,035 TEU.
