Expanding on its fleet of 10,000 teu and 14,000 teu vessels Seaspan is now looking to move into the largest sizes of containerships currently operating. During the company’s third quarter earnings call Seaspan cfo Sai Chu said, “we’re also looking at the larger size which is the 18,000 to 20,000 teu we’ll see what happens over the next three to six months and I think is no secret we are actually looking at that class as well”.
Chu compared the 18,000 teu plus class ship to the Airbus A380 in the civil aviation sector and that therewould be a limited number of charterers and a limited number of routes it could serve. “But we’re looking at that asset class as well, because there are also limited operator and owners to be able to put their hands on such technologically advanced and larger vessels.”
Seaspan has six 10,000 teu and eight 14,000 teu newbuildings due for delivery between 4 November 2014 and the end of 2016 for charters to Mitsui OSK Lines, Maersk Line and Yang Ming.
It also has options to build six 10,000 teu or 14,000 teu boxships at Yangzijiang Shipbuilding. The Chinese yard said in March it was pitching owners for containership newbuilding orders of up to 18,000 teu in capacity.
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