Thai liner operator Regional Container Lines’ foray into the neo-panamax segment will be through the purchase of two 12,000 teu newbuild resales from Japan’s Imabari Shipbuilding, reports The Loadstar.
Deal details
Vessel value
At a cost of $115m each, the ships are understood to have been ordered by Imabari’s ship-owning affiliate, Shoei Kisen Kaisha.
Vessel delivery
Vessel databases indicate that the ships will be delivered in September 2022 and January 2023, and will be named Santi Bhum and Thitti Bhum.
Long-term charter
They are sister vessels to newbuildings Shoei Kisen Kaisha ordered for long-term charter to carriers Yang Ming and Evergreen.
RCL fleet
This year, RCL has bought six ships, joining the rush for tonnage amid a red-hot market. Currently the 23rd largest liner operator, RCL owns 41 ships with capacities ranging from 628 teu to 6,350 teu.
For the first half, RCL’s net profit rose 27-fold to $190.5m, citing surging demand for durable goods and medical supplies due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.
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Source: The Loadstar
