Taiwanese owner Yang Ming Marine Transport is considering a plan to order 20 containerships made up of mega boxships and feeder boxships, Taiwanese media China Times has reported.
The company plans to take advantages of low newbuild prices to order a series of vessels to replace 20 chartered vessels in its fleet. The contracts for the 20 chartered vessels are all expiring in the next three years, while the new vessels are also expected to support the company’s international expansion plans.
Yang Ming, which is currently undergoing a recapitalization process, said in February that it was going to return a series of chartered ships from 2018 and 2020 as new mega containerships are set to join the fleet.
Earlier this month, Yang Ming approved a plan where it will jointly invest with Taiwan International Ports Corporation to develop shipping and logistics projects in Indonesia, in a response to the government’s New Southbound Policy. It will also establish regional operation centres in the Mediterranean region and the Black Sea region.
