Ending days of speculation over a major fleet expansion programme, Maersk has confirmed orders for 26 large containerships. The contracts have been estimated at over US$5 billion.
According to the Splash247.com news platform, the Danish carrier said on Friday that all 26 ships will have capacity of 18,600 teu and will feature dual-fuel engines capable of operating on LNG. Deliveries are scheduled across 2029 and 2030.
The orders have been split between two Chinese shipyards, reported TradeWinds.
Splash reported on Wednesday that Maersk was lining up around 40 LNG dual-fuel mainline ships, including vessels of at least 24,000 teu and another tranche in the 18,000-20,000 teu range. Brokers had also linked the carrier with options for six additional 18,600 teu ships at New Times Shipbuilding.
The carrier’s renewed appetite comes after years of relatively restrained ordering while MSC, CMA CGM and COSCO expanded aggressively.
Alphaliner currently puts Maersk’s operated fleet at around 4.73m teu, with 1.21m teu already on order. The 26 confirmed ships alone represent another 483,600 teu of capacity.
(Photo of Maersk containership)