Foreign owners’ investments on 1,000 - 2,500TEU boxships (feeder boxship) have witnessed great increase recently. Most of the orders have gone to Chinese shipyards’ pocket.
After placing an order for two 2,200TEU units at Guangzhou Wenchong Shipyard last April, Greek owner Cape Shipping has recently ordered another two units at a cost of $26.0m apiece. The new pair is scheduled foe delivery in October 2015 and January 2016. The former pair are to be delivered by 2014.
According to Cape Shipping, it is the best timing to enter small boxship market right now for current feeder boxship fleet has been relatively old and new ships under construction are not so many.
Meanwhile, German owner Bernhard Schulte is now in negotiation with Yangfan Group for the construction of four 2,300TEU boxship, including another four optional units.
Bernhard Schulte has ordered 4+4 the same type boxships at the shipyard last October at a cost of $26.0m apiece. If the optional units become effective, the total contract value would come up to $200.0m.