Hong Kong: Orient Overseas Container Line (OOCL) has announced that the company has entered into shipbuilding contracts with Samsung Heavy Industries for the construction of six 20,000teu containerships at a total price of $951.6m.
OOCL is expecting to get bank financing to fund around 70% of the deal in the near future, and it said the new mega vessels will improve both the operating efficiency and profitability of the group.
Delivery of the vessels is scheduled in 2017.
The deal makes OOCL the latest carrier to join the ultra-large containership club, started by Maersk Line ordering twenty 18,000teu ships in 2011. China Shipping Container Lines, Evergreen, MOL and CMA CGM have all ordered a series of vessels ranging from 18,000teu to 20,000teu.
