COSCO details $4.9bn boxship fleet expansion plans
COSCO Shipping, the world’s fourth largest carrier, is to massively add to the global containership orderbook, detailing a $4.9bn outlay in new ships.
The container arm of China’s largest maritime conglomerate has laid out plans to order 32 ships totalling 580,000 teu, all for delivery by the end of 2025, according to Nikkei Asia. The ships will be duel fuelled with many set to incorporate methanol.
Last month, COSCO Shipping unveiled a corporate reorganisation. COSCO said the organisational overhaul would position the company as a “global digital supply chain operation and investment platform” with a core focus on container shipping, ports and logistics.
The corporate reshuffle sees the creation of a new supply chain logistics division as well as a capital operation division.
Curious, Sam …. Are we seeing early signs of the owners moving towards over-capacity again? Seems like there are a few announcements of more considerable fleet expansion and much activity in Asian yards with order-books full.
Yet cargo flow (and rates) seem to be in a cooling off phase.
I’m hopeful and optimistic that the US economy will turn around (and everyone else too!) and perhaps the fleet build out will be needed. But today, not so sure.
What do you / Splash think ??
Market cooling … and realisation that the new tonnage overhang is severe