MPC Container Ships is further expanding its fleet with four additional container ships. They will be built in China and are scheduled for delivery in 2028.
The shipping group MPC Container Ships (MPCC), an Oslo-listed company of Hamburg-based MPC Capital AG, has ordered further newbuildings in China. Four container ships of 4,500 TEU each will be built at the Jiangsu Hantong Ship Heavy Industry shipyard, with delivery scheduled for the first half of 2028. According to MPCC, a purchase price of $58 million per ship has been agreed, bringing the provisional total value of the order to USD 232 million. The agreement includes an option for two further vessels at the same price.
The employment of the newbuildings has already been secured for the long term: each newbuilding is to operate under a ten-year charter contract (with the option to extend) for a “leading global liner shipping company”, it is said. They have been optimized in collaboration with the charterer to ensure alignment with its network, operational profile and long-term sustainability goals. The initial charter period is expected to generate revenues of approximately $375 million and EBITDA of approximately $242 million.
According to MPCC, the vessels will be equipped with advanced energy-efficient technologies, which are expected to reduce slot costs by approximately 50% compared to vessels of a similar size. This investment will support MPCC’s ongoing transition to a younger, more efficient and environmentally sustainable fleet, reducing regulatory and environmental risk. The project will be financed through a balanced mix of equity and debt, ensuring financial flexibility and a solid capital structure.
“Our fleet renewal strategy continues to gain momentum with this latest initiative,” said Constantin Baack, CEO of MPCC. He had already spoken about growth plans for the fleet on the HANSA podcast last year. “I would like to thank the teams on both sides for the constructive dialog and trustful cooperation over the past months, which were essential for the successful completion of this project. With today’s announcement, MPCC has secured ten newbuildings with associated charters this year. This underscores our ability to secure value-enhancing contracts with world-class partners and strengthen strategic client relationships – while reaffirming our commitment to long-term shareholder value.”
Just a month ago, MPCC awarded a newbuilding contract for two feeders with a capacity of 1,600 TEU each to the Fujian Mawei shipyard. The order for a further series of four container ships with a capacity of 4,500 TEU went to Taizhou Sanfu Ship Engineering in July. In the same month, the “NCL Nordland” (1,700 TEU) was christened in Hamburg as the company’s first ship.
