MSC has no plans to follow in the footsteps of its Danish competitor Maersk Line, which is reportedly on the verge of ordering the biggest containerships the world has ever seen.
MSC chairman Gianluigi Aponte told IFW’s sister publication, Lloyd’s List, that the carrier had no intention of ordering 18,000teu malaccamax vessels.
Aponte said he was only interested in ships up to 14,000teu and MSC has many of these scheduled for delivery over the next two years.
Maersk Line is reportedly close to signing a US$2 billion contract for a series of 18,000teu vessels to be used on Asia-Europe trades, but which will only able to call at a handful of ports.
MSC already has seven 14,000teu ships in service, while one industry analyst suggested that another 14, of 12,500-14,000teu would join the fleet this year on Asia-Europe routes.
MSC is closing the gap on Maersk, which has the world’s largest fleet, after boosting its total capacity by 375,000teu to 1.9 million teu last year – a 25% increase. Maersk’s fleet grew by around 5%, to 2.2 million teu.
Maersk Line operates 14.5% of the containership fleet, compared with 15% at the beginning of last year, while MSC has lifted its share to 12.6% from 10.9% a year ago.
Aponte said: “For us, being number one is totally unimportant. What is important is to be profitable – highly profitable.”
Meanwhile, Hapag-Lloyd and CSAV have also shown confidence in the container shipping market by ordering new vessels.
Hapag-Lloyd has ordered four 13,200teu ships from Hyundai Heavy Industries and agreed that six newbuildings, ordered at the beginning of 2008, should be upgraded from 8,750teu to 13,200teu.
The 10 vessels are scheduled for delivery between mid-2012 and the end of 2013.
CSAV has ordered two 8,000teu vessels from Samsung Heavy Industries that are scheduled for delivery between June and July 2012. The contract is reported to be worth $180 million and contains options for more similar vessels.
The line now has 13 vessels on order, including five 8,000teu containerships.