Recently, Oslo-listed shipowner MPC Container Ships (MPCC) announced it has placed an order for two 1,600 TEU container vessels with an 8-year time charter agreement (with a 2-year option) signed with a leading global liner operators.
MPCC has signed contracts for two 1,600 TEU high cube container vessels with Chinese Fujian Mawei Shipyard and deliveries scheduled in the second half of 2027. The total investment amounts to USD 66 million and the Company holds options for additional four vessels, offering future scalability in line with market opportunities.
The vessel features a state-of-the-art, fuel-efficient design optimized for the Northern Europe trade and its restricted channels. A refined hull form, shallow draft, and high manoeuvrability ensures efficient operations, while energy-saving systems deliver best-in-class environmental performance.
This newbuilding order is a continuation of supports MPCC’s transition toward a modern, more efficient, and environmentally compliant fleet, reducing exposure to regulatory and environmental risk.
Each vessel has been fixed on 8-year time charter (plus a 2-year optional period) with a leading global liner company, expected to generate approximately USD 92 million in revenue and contribute around USD 54 million in EBITDA over the contracted charter period, providing substantial earnings visibility as well as derisking.
The project will be financed through a balanced mix of equity and debt, ensuring flexibility and a prudent capital structure. The newbuildings are expected to be accretive to both earnings per share (EPS) and dividends per share (DPS) upon delivery.
“We are pleased to mark another step in the transformation of our fleet,” said Constantin Baack, Co-CEO of MPCC. “This transaction is part of our long-term fleet renewal strategy, designed to generate sustainable value through modernization and optimization. It underscores our strong strategic position and proven ability to execute value-enhancing deals that secure long-term charters with leading liner companies, reinforcing strategic partnerships, enhancing earnings visibility, and supporting disciplined growth.
We continue to view the supply fundamentals in our core segments as favorable, due to the comparably low orderbook – where only 6% of the fleet is expected to be replaced in the next 2–3 years, while 24% of vessels are already over 20 years old.”
This new shipbuilding deal continues MPCC’s expansion strategy. In July this year, the company placed an order for four 4,500 TEU container vessels (at approximately $57 million each) with Chinese shipyard Taizhou Sanfu Shipbuilding, with deliveries scheduled from the second half of 2027.
Each vessel has been fixed on a 3-year time charter with a leading global liner company, expected to generate approximately USD 140 million in revenue and contribute around USD 100 million in EBITDA over the contracted charter period. The project will be financed through a balanced mix of equity and debt, ensuring flexibility and a prudent capital structure.