Taiwanese line Evergreen is adding 10 more chartered 14,000 teu newbuildings to its fleet.

Evergreen has signed charter deals with Costamare and Shoei Kisen Kaisha for five 14,000 teu newbuildings from each owner. The vessels are due to be delivered in 2016 and 2017.

The line said the new vessels were part of a fleet renewal programme and the company’s operating tonnage would not be increased.

“The ten ships will be fully equipped with fuel saving technology.  Their fuel consumption will be substantially lower than ships of the same size built prior to 2010,” the company said.

Evergreen has adopted conservative strategy when it comes to mega-boxships but this now changing.

Last week it was reported that the company would be chartering seven 14,000 teu ships from Sumitomo Corp on 10 year leases.

Evergreen said last year it would charter 10 units of 13,800-teu Hyundai Heavy Industries-built vessels from Greek shipowner Enesel SA and has taken delivery of two of the 10 vessels since September last year, with the remaining eight to be delivered in the second half of this year.