TAIPEI's Evergreen Group has signed a contract with Taiwan's China Shipbuilding Corp (CSBC) to build ten 8,000-TEU containerships with the first to be delivered in 2013, the company announced.

The contract, signed by Evergreen vice group chairman Bronson Hsieh and CSBC chairman Tang Tay-Pin and is a third-time order of L-class, but the company's first order from Taiwan's CSBC yard since 1997.

Three of the new vessels will be built for Evergreen Marine Corporation, four for Evergreen Marine (UK) Ltd and three for Evergreen Marine (Singapore) Pte Ltd. All will be deployed in Evergreen trade lanes.

As part of its shipbuilding programme, Evergreen placed orders with Samsung Heavy Industries last July and September for twenty 8,000-TEU L-class vessels, which are due for delivery in early 2012.

As with those L-class ships, the 10 new ships will be 334.8 metres (1,100 feet) long and 45.8 metres (150 feet) wide and have a maximum draft of 14.2 metres (45.2 feet).

The ships will also have AMP "cold-ironing" equipment that allows them to plug into shoreside electric power.