Adding to the recent slew of box ship orders by major carriers, Tokyo-based ocean carrier Mitsui O.S.K. Lines announced Monday that it has ordered two 8,600-TEU container vessels from Japanese shipbuilder Mitsubishi Heavy Industries with delivery slated for 2013. The new vessels will join eight 8,100-TEU MOL vessels already in operation in the Asia-Europe routes.
MOL, which services all the major ports on the West Coast, also announced Monday that it had reached an agreement with Singapore-based Neptune Orient Lines Group for a three-year charter of five 14,000-TEU container vessels that NOL recently ordered. The five vessels in the agreement are set for delivery to MOL in 2013 and 2014. The chartered vessels will join five others operated by NOL-shipping arm APL on Asia-Europe routes.
“Expansion of the fleet will secure needed capacity on the East-West route, and allow us to provide high-quality, competitive services. MOL works continuously to further improve and optimize its service, and is reviewing the need for an expansion of the fleet on not only East-West trades but also all other routes for the benefit of our customers,” MOL Liner CEO Junichiro Ikeda said in a statement.
MOL is one of the largest shipping lines in the world and currently operates a fleet of just over 860 vessels.
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
