Marinakis' Capital tied to US$281M order for two container vessels

On 30 May, HD Hyundai announced it had secured an order for two container ships, valued at approximately US$281M. While the shipyard identified the buyer only as an Oceania-based shipowner, shipbroking and market sources have linked the order to Capital Group. The deal is said to involve optional 8,400-TEU vessels, with deliveries scheduled through the end of Q1 2028.

Over the past two months, Capital Group has been associated with a double-digit number of new container ship orders in South Korea. According to Alphaliner, the Greek shipping company previously placed an order for four 8,000+ TEU vessels at Hyundai, alongside a separate contract for 14 smaller units of 2,800 and 1,800 TEU. With the newly reported deal, Capital’s orderbook at HD Hyundai has reportedly reached 20 vessels.

Alphaliner also notes Capital Group is already a regular client of Hyundai Mipo Dockyard, operating nine vessels of the yard’s 1,800-TEU design and four of the 2,800-TEU type.

Orderbook on the rise

According to Xclusiv Shipbrokers, the global container vessel orderbook stood at 28% of the active fleet (in TEU terms) as of the end of April, up from 21% in the same period last year. During the first four months of 2025 alone, 103 container ships were ordered.

The Greek container vessel orderbook now includes 50 ships, accounting for about 6% of the global tonnage under construction. Neo-Panamax vessels dominate with a 68% share, followed by feeder vessels at around 18%.

In its latest weekly report, MB Shipbrokers observed demand for new orders continues at a moderate pace. Chinese shipyards are attracting interest primarily for feeder vessels, while South Korean yards remain the preferred choice for projects in the 8,000- to 10,000-TEU range.