Yangzijiang wins order for 10 boxships from Japan to go on charter to Maersk

Singapore-listed Chinese private shipbuilder Yangzijiang Shipbuilding has sealed shipbuilding contracts with an unnamed Japanese owner for the construction of up to ten 3,500 teu boxships.

The contracts are made up of firm orders for five vessels and options for another five vessels. If the options are all exercised, the total value of the contract could reach $396m. The firm vessels will deliver from November 2022.

Splash understands it is a joint venture between Nissen Kaiun and Mitsui & Co who has placed the order, with the ships set to go on charter to Maersk, the world’s largest containerline.

This latest order has brought Yangzijiang’s total secured orders to 34 vessels this year, worth a total value of $1.03bn.

“Our year-to-date new order wins of over $1bn is more than that for the whole year 2019. This was a remarkable achievement especially considering that the global new shipbuilding orders declined by about 50% in 9M2020 in a depressed market. We appreciate our customers’ trust in us, and I believe their trust is solidly backed by the quality of our vessels and Yangzijiang’s credibility. This gives me great confidence in building up our orderbook further despite a weak market,” said Ren Letian, CEO of Yangzijiang Shipbuilding.