German liner shipping company Hapag-Lloyd is sending seven older container ships to be recycled in Turkey and China.
The respective shipyards are especially equipped and certified to recycle ships in an environmentally friendly manner, according to the company. The vessels in question feature a capacity of 4,101 TEU each.
“The recycling of these ships is part of the restructuring of our fleet,” Anthony Firmin, Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Hapag-Lloyd, said.
“Since the merger with United Arab Shipping Company (UASC), we boast one of the youngest fleets in the industry on average,” Firmin added.
In September 2017, Hapag-Lloyd sent three older vessels from the former UASC fleet to be dismantled in an environmentally friendly manner.
The step means that Hapag-Lloyd is continuing to implement the internal Ship Recycling Policy it adopted in May 2014, whereby ships which are no longer needed must be recycled in a safe and environmentally friendly manner, the company added.
Hapag-Lloyd has a fleet of 215 container ships with a total transport capacity of 1.6 million TEU.