MPC secures prized 2023 box delivery slots
Hamburg-based MPC Capital has found a rare yard in South Korea able to offer boxship slots in just over a year’s time.
MPC has ordered four 5,500 teu ships at HJ Shipbuilding, the new name of Hanjin Heavy Industries & Construction, South Korea’s oldest shipbuilder. The first ship will deliver in the second quarter next year. The quartet will be methanol ready.
Christian Rychly, managing director of shipping at MPC Capital, commented: “We are convinced that the demand for new container ships with favourable specifications, a low consumption and high environmental ranking will increase. The orderbook in this size segment is fairly low and 80% of the vessels in the water today are non-eco ships. At the same time the positive momentum in the container market continues. Fundamental data signal a further tightening of the supply of assets and with limited yard capacity available the ordering of new ships with these non-replicable delivery positions in 2023 provides a very unique opportunity.”
HJ Shipbuilding was founded in Busan in 1937. After many years in debt workout, a local consortium led by Dongbu Corporation bought the company in September last year and the yard has celebrated its first orders for a long time in a recent months.