ContainersEurope

Hapag-Lloyd adds eight containerships to its fleet

German container line Hapag-Lloyd has bought two secondhand containerships and has chartered in another six vessels, which increases its operated fleet to 177 vessels.

The two “modern” 3,500-teu ships were acquired from Netherlands-based shipping company NileDutch for an undisclosed sum and will be deployed in South America.

Data from VesselsValue.com suggests the two vessels are likely to be Niledutch Dordrecht and Niledutch Rotterdam. The online platform estimates the ships’ current market values are $29.97m and $27.25m respectively.

“The wide-beam design of the hull means that the ships, which were built in 2015, maintain a comparatively high slot capacity despite having a lower draught, thereby making them particularly well suited for ports with shallow water as, for example, some South American ports,” Hapag-Lloyd said.

The carrier is also chartering in two of the vessels’ sisterships from NileDutch’s same wide-beam series, which are likely to be Niledutch Antwerpen and Niledutch Breda (both 3,150 teu, built 2015 and 2014 respectively). The charter rate was not disclosed.

Four more 2,700-teu containerships, also with a wide-beam design, have been chartered in to replace older tonnage on Hapag-Lloyd services between the Mediterranean and Montreal, Canada. The German line said the two-year-old vessels have ice class and a “comparatively low draught, which is an advantage for travelling on the St. Lawrence River”. No charter rate was made public.

“For Hapag-Lloyd, these state-of-the-art and highly efficient vessels represent an important enhancement of the fleet,” Anthony J. Firmin, COO of Hapag-Lloyd, said in a release.

“Alongside our market leadership in certain trades, such as the Atlantic, we also strengthen our position in an attractive niche market further such as the cabotage business in South America, where we will be initially deploying the new vessels.”

Holly Birkett

Holly is Splash's Online Editor and correspondent for the UK and Mediterranean. She has been a maritime journalist since 2010, and has written for and edited several trade publications. She is currently studying for membership of the Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers. In 2013, Holly won the Seahorse Club's Social Media Journalist of the Year award. She is currently based in London.
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