New Orders Container Only two orders were placed during the last weeks. CMA CGM has ordered six 14,000TEU[ds_preview] vessels plus a similar number of options at Hyundai HI. The dual-fuel LNG ships are scheduled for delivery within 2020 for 1.7bn $. Simatech ordered 2+2 sub-panamax vessels. The 2,800TEU ships will be built at Guangzhou Wenchong for around 31mill.$ each. Secondhand Sales Container The price increase observable in the past months for most vessel types has halted in March. The list of workable containerships for sale continues to look thin. The strong charter market is creating the competition to push pricing above last done. The ratio of vended feeders was particularly high during the second part of February and the first half of March. Again, MPC Container Ship AS acquired various vessels in the range between 1,300 and 3,400TEU. The latest purchase encompassed five ships from Simatech for a total price of 41.9mill. $. Ship Finance International purchased a fleet of 15 vessels ranging from 1,100 to 4,400TEU. The company did not reveal the purchase price but it was indicated that the sum was »close to the recycling value of the vessels.« The acquisition is backed by long term bareboat charters to a major container line, which some speculators believe could be MSC. Demolition Sales Bustle at the recycling market for container vessels remained low during the last weeks – only three vessels were sold for scrap. The upward trend in the charter market combined with a robust vessel demand resulted in a limited availability of demo units. The few vessels sold for scrap could achieve high prices. On the Indian sub-continent, the 1985 built feeder container ship »OEL BENGAL« for example was sold for 478 $ per ldt.
Jan Göldner
