Eager to hang on to the recognition of operating the world's largest containership fleet, Denmark's AP Moller-Maersk is flexing its muscles with its latest purchase agreement for sixteen 7,450-TEU ships from Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering Co. in South Korea.
The containerships are slated for delivery between 2010 and 2012, and will be used by the group's liner shipping arm, Maersk Line. The ships will be deployed in the trades between the east coast of South America, Asia and Europe, markets where the carrier expects continued growth.
This latest newbuilding order comes hot on the heels of Maersk's order last month for 18 new vessels from another South Korean shipbuilder, Hyundai Heavy Industries. The ships, valued at US$90 million each, are expected to be delivered in 2011 and 2012.
The vessels are equipped with reefer plugs enabling them to each carry 1,700 refrigerated containers, the highest number ever carried on Maersk container ships. In addition, each vessel is equipped with a waste heat recovery system, which recycles excess heat from the exhaust to generate energy for propulsion of the vessel or on-board electricity consumption. The reduction in fuel consumption results in a corresponding reduction of emissions, a company statement said.
"We are very excited with this order and the opportunities these vessels will provide our customers in South America. We are confident that the vessels will enable us to continue to offer competitive container shipping based on a modern, economical, and environmentally friendly fleet," said senior vice president Michel Deleuran, head of Network and Product at Maersk Line.
The company statement pointed out that the trade between Asia and the east coast of South America has grown by more than 20 per cent on average annually, and is expected to remain in the double digits over the next five years.
The trade between the east coast of South America and Europe is primarily driven by the export of food products such as poultry, meat and fruit transported in refrigerated containers. Since 2002, the trade has grown by 15 per cent each year on average.
|
