Interasia Lines revealed as buyer of six container ship newbuilds at Yangzijiang

Earlier this week, the shipyard announced contracts for 18 container vessels, including six 2,900-TEU units, without identifying the customer. Interasia noted on 1 September that it had signed a deal with Yangzijiang for six firm ships plus two options, with deliveries scheduled for 2028.

The agreement was signed on 14 August at the shipyard’s head office by Interasia special assistant to the executive vice president Brendan Williams, and Yangzijiang vice general manager Ji Hongfei.

“This agreement marks Interasia’s first shipbuilding collaboration with YZJ, a significant milestone in the company’s fleet expansion strategy, and is a strong reflection of Interasia’s ambition to strengthen its position in the intra-Asia market and beyond,” the company said.

According to Alphaliner, Interasia ranks 28th among the world’s top 100 liner operators, with a fleet of 25 vessels totalling 74,650 TEU. The carrier also has nine ships under construction.

Founded in Tokyo in 1967, Interasia has focused on building a comprehensive network of ocean container services across Asia. The company initially operated routes between Japan and Singapore/Malaysia, later expanding its coverage to China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, India, Vietnam, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, Myanmar, Korea and beyond.

Ordering rally at Yangzijiang

Interasia’s order forms part of a wider wave of contracts disclosed by Yangzijiang Shipbuilding. The builder confirmed deals for 18 container vessels with various buyers.

Riviera reported that Greek owner Euroseas has ordered two 4,300-TEU ships, while Vietnam’s Hai An Transport has been linked to a pair of 3,000-TEU units. Yangzijiang also announced two additional contracts covering four 1,100-TEU vessels and four 1,800-TEU ships, reportedly for South Korea’s CK Line and Greece’s Minerva Dry, respectively.

Yangzijiang now holds an orderbook of 258 vessels, including 125 container ships.