The world’s largest container shipping company, MSC, recently entered into a strategic cooperation, and now the first order has been placed with Hengli in China.
According to reports, the company led by Gianluigi Aponte is ordering a further ten LNG-powered megamax freighters, each with a capacity of 21,000 TEU. This is the first order for the revitalised shipyard, which was once known as STX Dalian.
The first newbuilding will be delivered in 2027. The total value of the order is estimated at US$2.5bn.
It was only in August that MSC and Hengli sealed a strategic partnership that provides for close cooperation in ship newbuilding, engine manufacturing, ship repair and ship conversion.
More and more ships for MSC
The Geneva-based shipping company is thus further bolstering its own order book. Under CEO Søren Toft, the company has risen to become the undisputed No. 1 in global container shipping. The fleet already has a total capacity of more than 6 million TEU and a global market share of 20%.
Before the latest order, 129 newbuildings with 1.8 million TEU were added, which corresponds to 29.4% of the existing fleet. A further 210,000 TEU will now be added. The world’s largest container shipping company had already placed several major orders with Chinese shipyards this summer.
While the MSC deal for Hengli Heavy represents the first order for container ships, the Chinese shipyard had only recently secured the order for four VLCC newbuildings.
