MSC has ordered another series of newbuildings in China. The order marks a new start for Jiangsu Rongsheng, once the country’s largest private shipyard.
China’s shipyard industry is massively expanding capacity in view of the continuing wave of newbuildings, especially from container shipping companies. The demand is even enabling Jiangsu Rongsheng Heavy Industries to restart.
It was once China’s largest private shipyard before it drifted into bankruptcy during the 2014 financial crisis. Now there is a new start, and MSC is the first major customer. In addition to container ships, the company in the Yangtze River Delta also wants to build bulkers and tankers in future, according to reports.
MSC expands order book to more than 2 million TEU
According to broker MB Shipbroking, Gianluigi Aponte’s company has ordered eight medium-sized newbuildings, each with a capacity of 11,500 TEU and LNG propulsion. There are also four options.
In the past week alone, ships with a capacity of 132,000 TEU were ordered in China and Korea. Wan Hai and SITC had also launched orders.
MSC’s order book now comprises more than 2 million TEU. Only with this newbuilding fleet would MSC be No. 6 in the ranking of the largest container shipping companies, just behind Hapag-Lloyd (No. 5, 2.27 million TEU) and the Japanese ONE (No. 6, 1.94 million TEU).
