Danish ocean box carrier Maersk Line on July 8 signed an order contract with Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) for nine newbuilds with a capacity of 14,000 TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) each and the flexibility to be deployed across different trades.
The newbuilding contract has a value of US$1.1 billion and includes an option for up to eight additional vessels. It was signed by Sam Ka, chief operating officer of HHI and Soren Toft, COO of Maersk Line, in a ceremony at Maersk Line’s headquarters in Copenhagen, Denmark.
The nine vessels, with a length of 353 meters, will join Maersk Line’s fleet in 2017 and sail under Singaporean flag. Toft said the newbuilds will be spread across different trades for increased productivity.
“I am very pleased about this order for which we have taken a new approach. The vessels will be designed to operate in and perform efficiently across many trades and not just designed for one specific trade. They will help us stay competitive and make our fleet more flexible and efficient,” said Toft.
According to an emailed official statement, designing vessels with a flexible operational profile is a first for Maersk Line.
“By moving away from hulls designed with a certain speed and draft in mind, Maersk Line is strengthening its fleet with vessels which can be deployed on East-West or North-South trades where requirements differ, with no impact on fuel consumption.”
This is the third newbuilding order in Maersk Line’s investment program announced in September 2014. It follows the seven 3,600-TEU feeder vessels and eleven 19,630-TEU Triple-E vessels announced earlier this year as part of Maersk Line’s $15-billion investment in newbuildings, retrofitting, containers, and other equipment. Maersk Line said it will thus be able to acquire the capacity it needs, replace less efficient tonnage, and increase its share of owned vessels.
Since 2002, HHI has delivered more than 50 container vessels to Maersk Line, including 22 WAFMAX vessels (4,500 TEUs), which were delivered in 2011-13.
