Make Way for 21,100 TEU Boxships

South Korean shipbuilder Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI) will build the world’s largest containerships yet having received an order for the construction of 21,100 TEU units.

The order was placed by OOCL last week, however the announcement said that the ships would pertain to the 20,000 TEU class.

SHI revealed that the ordered boxships would actually feature 21,100 TEU capacity, thus renewing the shipbuilder’s record it had set just one month earlier, when it received orders for four units of 20,100TEU-class container ships from MOL of Japan on March 2, 2015.

However, the newly ordered containerships will be able to load 1,000 more 20-feet containers, as they accommodate one more layer of containers.

“The company has fortified its leadership in the market by receiving orders for ten units out of 12 units of 20,000TEU+ container ships placed worldwide. This contract includes options for six units, so it is likely that the company will receive additional related orders,” SHI said.

The company added that it had received orders from European shippers for four units of oil tankers valued at about USD 0.23 billion, making the daily contract amount about USD 1.2 billion.

The company received orders worth USD 2.3 billion in the 1st quarter, including orders for ten units of container ships, six units of oil tankers and two units of LNG carriers.