Bocomm Leasing orders mega boxship quartet at CSSC yards, MSC widely tipped as charterers
Chinese leasing house Bank of Communications Financial Leasing (Bocomm Leasing) has entered into shipbuilding contracts with CSSC-affiliated China Shipbuilding Trading, Jiangnan Shipyard and Hudong Zhonghua Shipbuilding for the construction of four 24,000 teu mega boxships.
Under the contracts, Jiangnan Shipyard and Hudong Zhonghua will each built two vessels. Delivery of the vessels are expected in 2023. The total value of the order is around $600m.
The contracts follow China Shipbuilding Group signed a strategic cooperation agreement with Bank of Communications in December, under which the bank has agreed to provide a credit facility of RMB100bn ($15.3bn) to China Shipbuilding Group.
Earlier this month, it was reported by multiple shipbroking houses that Mediterranean Shipping Co (MSC) is looking to order a series of 23,000 teu mega boxships at Chinese yards including Hudong Zhonghua and Jiangnan Shipyard. The latest ships order by Bocomm Leasing is likely to be chartered to MSC under a financial leasing arrangement.
This month Splash has also reported on giant boxship orders by Hapag-Lloyd and Ocean Network Express (ONE), providing shipyards with some late rally towards their annual sales targets.
