France’s CMA CGM is being widely tipped as the European owner mentioned in a release today by HD Hyundai Heavy Industries behind the biggest ship orders in the year to date.
CMA CGM has contracted the Korean shipyard to build twelve 18,000 teu LNG dual-fuel containerships valued at KRW3.716trn ($2.58bn). All the ships are scheduled to be delivered by the end of 2028.
CMA CGM is rapidly on the way to overhauling Maersk as the world’s second-largest containerline.
Containership ordering last year reached about 4.4m teu, breaking the previous record from 2021 when 4.3m teu was ordered. January has seen orders continue at Asian shipyards albeit at a slower pace including China’s Kawa Shipping ordering its first newbuilds, signing for three 4,800 teu ships at Wuhu Shipyard, and German owner Elbdeich Reederei returning to China’s Wenchong yard for up to four more 1,900 teu containership newbuilds.