T.S. Lines has placed an order with Taiwan's CSBC Corp for two containerships with capacities of 1,800 TEUs, with an option for an additional two similar units.
The price the Taiwanese carrier paid for the new vessels, which are set for delivery in the second half of 2017, has not been made public.
State-owned CSBC’s latest contract with TS Lines follows closely on an order from Evergreen Marine for the construction of five feeder container vessels at a price of $185 million to $195 million in total.
Evergreen announced on July 6 that the company has decided to order 10 2,800 TEU containerships at CSBC and Japan's Imabari Shipbuilding.
The carrier will order five box ships at CSBC at the price of $36-39 million each, with total expense expected to be around $180-195 million.
With its latest order, T.S. Lines plans to capitalize on its position as a niche carrier in the profitable and fast-growing intra-Asia trade.
The orders represent the position the regional carrier has found itself in as intra-Asia trade grows at a rapid clip, with carriers adding both long distance and regional calls left and right, particularly on the India-China trade.
Meanwhile, the Taiwanese shipyard is also planning to establish an overseas joint venture shipbuilding and equipment production facility in China as part of its long term growth plan.