AP Moller-Maersk has returned to South Korean shipbuilder Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering for its latest series of ultra-large container ships (ULCS), reports The Korea Economic Daily.
The total contract to build 11 ultra-large containerships is worth US$1.7 billion.
The newspaper quoted shipping sources saying that the Danish conglomerate decided to have DSME build eleven 20,000-TEU container carriers and is currently negotiating final details.
In the bidding, Hyundai Heavy Industries was also a contender.
Although the details of the deal have not been revealed, Daewoo will likely build four ships first, with the remaining seven ships as options. According to an industry official, the per-vessel price is about $151 million.
If DSME finalizes the deal at $1.7 billion, it will be able to win ship orders more than the first-quarter target volume of $1.4 billion.
Maersk was the company that opened the era of ultra-large container carriers by commissioning an 18,000-TEU ship in 2011.
At the time, the shipping company also signed a deal with DSME, which won a total of 20 ship orders worth $3.8 billion. Of these, the company will deliver the remaining four ships this year after already delivering 16.
The latest order follows similar moves made by Maersk's rivals CMA CGM, Mitsui OSK Lines and OOCL in ordering vessels of 20,000 teu capacity this year.