Cosco Container Lines (Hong Kong) has signed agreements to charter eight 8,500-TEU newbuilds from Seaspan Corporation.

The charter parties cover a 12-year period, and thereafter Coscon HK will have three consecutive one-year options to charter each of the ships after the charter period of 12 years has expired.



The ships will be built by Hyundai Heavy Industries in South Korea and delivered in 2009 and 2010. After the delivery, they will be deployed in the east-west trunk services to enhance the carrier's competitiveness on this trade and provide better customer service, a Coscon statement said.