MSC began to implement fleet expansion strategy

        Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) has ordered four 24,200TEU container ships from Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding and Jiangnan Shipbuilding (Group), both of which are subsidiaries of China State Shipbuilding Corporation, and they will split the order equally.

　　According to the broker, each ship is priced at US$150 million and will be delivered by the end of 2023.

　　 In December 2020, MSC ordered 6 ships of similar size from Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding, Jiangnan Shipbuilding and Yangzijiang Shipbuilding, and the orders were evenly distributed to each shipyard.

　　 It is said that ICBC Financial Leasing and China Shipbuilding (Hong Kong) Shipping, the leasing subsidiary of the CSSC Group, will provide financing for MSC’s latest order.

　　 This Swiss-headquartered container company has 172 owned vessels and 427 chartered vessels, and its operating capacity has reached 4 million TEU, close to the market leader Maersk Line's 4.11 million TEU.

　　 At the same time, Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering will deliver four 23,000TEU ships this year.

　　 In addition, MSC also ordered 13 16,000 TEU ships from the other two shipyards of China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation, Guangzhou Shipyard International and Dalian Shipbuilding Industry Corporation in April.

　　 Since September 2020, MSC has purchased 49 ships. At that time, the market stabilized and there was a shortage of shipping capacity.

　　 In addition, earlier this month, the Geneva-based airline bought two 1102teu ships built in 2003 for 14 million U.S. dollars. The company has leased these two ships.