Maersk Line is in discussions with far eastern shipyards on the construction of a new generation of giant container ships with a much larger capacity than the shipping industry has so far been accustomed to, writes Lloyd’s List.
A broker told the shipping website that the Danish sea freight giant has been holding preliminary talks with yards in both South Korea and China on the construction of ten ships, each of which would have a capacity of 16,000 20-foot containers (TEUs).
Maersk Line was first to bring into service the current class of megaships, which have a capacity in the order of 14,000 TEUs. Known as the E-class, the eight ships were delivered between 2006 and 2008.
Lloyds adds that that talks are believed to be at such an early stage that price has not yet been discussed.