Cosco unit may enter ship leasing market

The reports quoted sources as saying the proposal was at preliminary stages and may involve leasing newbuild ships or completed vessels that have yet to be delivered due to financing issues.

There may also be plans to widen its current ship trading operation from dealing with just sale and purchase of Cosco vessels to include ship chartering, effectively bringing all of Cosco's currently disparate chartering operations in Hong Kong, Qingdao and Tianjin under the control of Cosco International.