Bayraktar Denizcilik orders four 1,800 TEU container ships from China, set for delivery in 2028 and 2029, marking a significant fleet expansion.
Turkish shipowner company Bayraktar Denizcilik has returned to the newbuilding market after years, ordering a total of four 1,800 TEU capacity container ships in China, consisting of two firm orders and two options. The delivery of the ships is planned for 2028 and 2029.
Bayraktar Shipping has reached an agreement with Wuhan Qingshan Shipyard, part of China Merchants Industry Group, for the new ship investment. Under the contract, two ships are ordered as firm orders, while options have been exercised for two other ships. Each of the vessels will have a capacity of 1,800 TEU.
According to information from foreign maritime press, deliveries are expected to take place in 2028 and 2029. The total contract value of the order, the technical specifications of the ships, their propulsion systems, and the deadlines for exercising the options have not been disclosed.
They will be the largest container ships in the Bayraktar fleet.
Bayraktar Denizcilik's current fleet includes seven container ships, three Supramax bulk carriers, and two multipurpose/general cargo vessels. The newly ordered 1,800 TEU ships are expected to be the largest container ships in the fleet.
On the company's official website, its fleet and activities are presented through a broader list of vessels. While Bayraktar operates in the dry cargo, container, and general cargo segments, the company's strategy particularly emphasizes focusing on smaller container ships and minibulkers. The company had previously announced its growth target for container vessels up to 2,500 TEU.
In this regard, the new 1,800 TEU ships align with the company's current fleet strategy.
Newbuilding investment after 15 years.
One of the notable aspects of the order is Bayraktar Denizcilik's return to the newbuilding market after a long hiatus.
According to data from Riviera Maritime Media and Clarksons, the company last received a newbuilding vessel in 2011, which was a bulk carrier. With this new order, Bayraktar's return to the shipyard after approximately 15 years marks a new era in the company's fleet renewal and growth strategy.
The company's official strategy anticipates that fleet growth will be conducted in a disciplined and selective manner, evaluating young vessels and newbuilding tonnage when market conditions are favorable.
A nearly $5 million difference between China and South Korea.
Although the official value of the order has not been disclosed, market assessments by Europe-based ship brokers indicate that the construction price of a new 1,800 TEU feeder container ship in China is approximately $32 million.
The estimated construction price of a ship with the same capacity in South Korea is reported to be around $37 million. Accordingly, there is an approximate price difference of $5 million per ship between China and South Korea.
If all four ships are confirmed, it can be estimated that the total investment could reach approximately $128 million based solely on this market estimate. However, this figure is not the contract value disclosed by Bayraktar Denizcilik but rather a prediction based on current market prices by brokers.
Qingshan Shipyard back in the spotlight.
Another noteworthy aspect of Bayraktar's order is the Wuhan Qingshan Shipyard, where the ships will be built.
Established in the 1950s, Qingshan Shipyard has reportedly built over 600 vessels to date, according to Chinese media. After delivering its last ship in 2018, the shipyard had largely withdrawn from shipbuilding activities for a while.
Following a restructuring process, the shipyard began receiving new shipbuilding contracts again in 2026. Bayraktar's order has become one of the significant contracts received after the shipyard became active again.
It is reported that the order portfolio of the shipyard includes container ship orders from Zhonggu Shipping and China Merchants, in addition to Bayraktar's. The delivery of these vessels is primarily planned for 2028 and 2029.
Order activity in the feeder segment.
Bayraktar's investment is also part of the order activity that has been observed in the feeder container ship segment, especially in 2026.
According to data from Xclusiv Shipbrokers reported by Riviera Maritime Media, as of the end of July, contracts have been signed for 184 new feeder vessels worldwide in 2026. With these orders, the total order book for feeder vessels has reached approximately 17.5% of the current fleet's TEU capacity.
The average age of the existing feeder fleet is around 16 years. This situation lays the groundwork for strong demand for the renewal of the aging short-distance container fleet.
Bayraktar Denizcilik's 1,800 TEU vessels also fall within the tonnage class directly targeted by this market.
The company's 100-year maritime history.
Istanbul-based Bayraktar Denizcilik traces its roots back to the early 1920s. According to the company's official history, Captain Arif Bayraktar began maritime activities in a small machine workshop and later became the owner of the coastal vessel M/V Son Moda, which carried coal in Black Sea ports, with a capacity of 150 dwcc.
In 1947, the company built its second vessel, the wooden M/V Şanal, with a capacity of 250 dwcc. Its first steel construction vessel, M/V Arif Kaptan, was built in 1978.
Today, the group activities conducted by Bayraktar Denizcilik ve Ticaret A.Ş. encompass ship operation, technical management, ship management, chartering, and newbuilding services. The chairman of the board of directors is Erhan Bayraktar.
Source: SeaNews Türkiye
