Taiwanese shipping company Evergreen Line has entered today into a charter deal with Japanese counterpart Shoei Kisen Kaisha for twelve 11,000 TEU containerships.
The charter deal was announced in January, but today the duo made it official.
The twelve ships will be built at Imabari Shipbuilding for Shoei Kisen Kaisha and then leased to Evergreen once delivered in 2021.
The Neo-Panamax vessels feature 333.9 meters in length and 48.4 meters in breadth and are equipped with ballast-water treatment systems.
The vessels are designed to sail at a service speed of 23 knots and can pass through the Panama Canal.
The ship’s length over all is shorter than those of ultra-large containerships currently plying the Asia – Europe trade, making it easier to manoeuver the ships during berthing or departure and bringing greater flexibility in fleet deployment, according to Evergreen.
The newbuilding design adopts a twin-island concept, separating wheelhouse and accommodation block from the engine room and funnel area.
Shoei Kisen Kaisha and Evergreen made a similar deal in 2015, which enabled the company to join the 18,000 TEU club.
The deal forms part of Evergreen’s ambitious fleet renewal plan , announced earlier this month, which will see twenty 11,000 TEU containerships added to its fleet.
Last week, Evergreen Marine Corp ordered eight newbuildings from Samsung Heavy Industries which are set for delivery by May 31, 2021.
Evergreen said that the aim of its newbuilding program is to meet future market demand.
“On delivery of these new ships, Evergreen will redeliver older chartered vessels as their charter periods expire to help optimize the efficiency of its operating fleet and enhance the competitiveness of its services,” the company said last week.
Evergreen Line’s current operating fleet incorporates around 200 containerships with a total capacity over 1.1 million TEU.
World Maritime News Staff