KUWAIT's United Arab Shipping Co has said it is interested in ordering
ships up to 18,000 TEU in the second quarter because of fuel
efficiencies and unit cost advantages its 13,000-TEUers have already
provided.
"We are looking at ships from 13,000 TEU up to 18,000 TEU," said UASC president and CEO Jorn Hinge, reported London's Containerisation International.
Pleased with the performance of the nine 13,500 TEUers it ordered in 2008, Mr Hinge said the line is in contact with Chinese shipyards, adding that the big ships have proved so economical that UASC is considering ordering more and bigger ships.
UASC said it saved US$200 million following the arrival of its 13,500 TEUers together with additional savings from scrapping older, inefficient ships. Now the carrier appears is sold on the new efficiencies promised by the next generation of vessels.
Mr Hinge also said shipbuilding prices have fallen by more than a third since UASC and other carriers ordered 13,000 TEUers and 14,000 TEUers before the global economic downturn.
He said UASC could only hold its customer base if it operated big ships. "If UASC wants to be competitive in our home market, we have to have the same kind of ships," said Mr Hinge.
Before its first 13,000-TEUer, the biggest UASC ships were in the 7,000 TEU range. UASC had a reputation for waiting too long to place orders, commented CI, but this time it could be among the first to take advantage of much lower prices.
"We are looking at ships from 13,000 TEU up to 18,000 TEU," said UASC president and CEO Jorn Hinge, reported London's Containerisation International.
Pleased with the performance of the nine 13,500 TEUers it ordered in 2008, Mr Hinge said the line is in contact with Chinese shipyards, adding that the big ships have proved so economical that UASC is considering ordering more and bigger ships.
UASC said it saved US$200 million following the arrival of its 13,500 TEUers together with additional savings from scrapping older, inefficient ships. Now the carrier appears is sold on the new efficiencies promised by the next generation of vessels.
Mr Hinge also said shipbuilding prices have fallen by more than a third since UASC and other carriers ordered 13,000 TEUers and 14,000 TEUers before the global economic downturn.
He said UASC could only hold its customer base if it operated big ships. "If UASC wants to be competitive in our home market, we have to have the same kind of ships," said Mr Hinge.
Before its first 13,000-TEUer, the biggest UASC ships were in the 7,000 TEU range. UASC had a reputation for waiting too long to place orders, commented CI, but this time it could be among the first to take advantage of much lower prices.