DSME: new order for five mega box ships

DSME did not reveal the carrier behind the order, but according to media reports, MSC has inked the contract for the five 23,000-TEU container ships, worth US$762M. This order is reportedly an option MSC has exercised as part of an order for 11 ships made in 2017.

MSC took delivery of two 23,000-TEU ships from DSME this year. The latest ships ordered are slated for delivery 2021.

After a lull in ordering, and despite warnings of a slump for ULCS employment, ultra large container ships are again being contracted.

Recent orders include Evergreen Marine’s 11 23,000-TEU container ships from South Korean and Chinese yards. Hudong-Zhonghua and Jiangnan Shipyard are sharing equally four ships between them. The remaining seven vessels were awarded to Samsung who are nearing completion of a series of ULCSs for the Taiwan owner in the G Series.

According to BRL Consultants, before the Evergreen order, it had been over a year since a ULCS was last contracted.

BRL figures show there are currently 50 ULCS on order, which will commission 1,093,442 TEU into the global fleet between now and 2022. This contrasts with 108 ULCS already in service, aggregating 2,131,043 TEU capacity.