MPCC order six container ships from Chinese yard

MPCC has entered into contracts with Taizhou Sanfu Ship Engineering in China for the construction of six 3,700-TEU container vessels scheduled for delivery from the second half of 2028. Each vessel will operate under a 10-year time charter, with extension options, to a top 5 liner company.

The vessels are based on the newest design, which optimises speed and fuel consumption for regional and feeder trades, while keeping enough flexibility to shift between trade lanes as markets evolve. The vessels are prepared for alternative fuels and feature advanced emissions-reduction technologies.

With a total investment of US$293M, the initial charter period is expected to generate approximately US$479M in revenue and around US$288M in EBITDA. A statement said that the project will be financed through a balanced mix of equity and debt, ensuring financial flexibility and maintaining a prudent capital structure.

MPCC has also established a 50/50 joint venture (JV) with Uthalden. The JV will own two 4,500-TEU newbuildings that are currently wholly owned by MPCC and will be on charter to a top-five liner company.

MPCC said, “The establishment of this joint venture will free up committed capital and optimise the company’s investment capacity, while partnering with an experienced shipping investor. It is expected that the joint venture will finance most of the purchase price of the vessels through moderate leverage.”

In line with its fleet modernisation, MPCC has agreed to sell AS Clementina, a vessel approaching its 20-year class renewal in 2026. Handover is expected to take place after the expiry of the current charter, towards the end of Q2 2026. 

“2025 has proven to be a transformational year for MPCC”, said MPCC chief executive Constantin Baack. “With yet another newbuilding order against a long-term charter with a top-tier counterpart, we have in total 17 state-of-the-art newbuildings on order with deliveries from 2026 onwards. These measures strengthen our strategic partnerships, enhance earnings visibility, and reinforce our commitment to long-term value creation. As a result, our contracted backlog now exceeds US$2Bn, providing exceptional visibility and positioning MPCC for sustainable growth and resilience in the years ahead. I am also pleased that we have further advanced on additional portfolio and financing initiatives, including teaming up with Uthalden, a trusted partner we have successfully worked with in the past.”