Reports indicate that Costamare, the Greek container ship owner led by Konstantinos Konstantakopoulos, is planning to place a bulk order for container ships from Chinese shipyards, with vessel sizes larger than those ordered in 2025. This marks the shipowner’s return to the newbuilding market after a long absence from the sector by mid-2025.
However, sources emphasized that the order is still in the negotiation stage, and the final number of ships will not be determined if the order is finalized.
It is understood that Costamare re-entered the newbuild market in mid-2025, placing an order for four 3,100 TEU feeder container ships with Zhoushan Changhong International. The company subsequently added two more vessels of the same type in November of the same year. Currently, Costamare has secured long-term charter agreements for all six newbuild container vessels from Zhoushan Changhong International. Each charter spans eight years, commencing upon delivery from the shipyard and extending through the first quarter of 2028.
Prior to finalizing its container ship orders with Zhoushan Changhong International, Costamare had planned to build six large ships through an agreement with an undisclosed Asian shipyard in 2021 as part of its newbuilding program. However, the deal was terminated months later, and the company has not placed new orders for container ships or bulk carriers since then.
Data shows that Costamare currently operates a fleet of 69 container ships with a total capacity of 520,000 TEU. According to its third-quarter financial report, the shipping company has secured a total of $2.6 billion in contracted revenue, with an average remaining charter period of 3.2 years. Based on these figures, 80% of its container fleet capacity has already been secured through fixed contracts by 2026.
In 2025, Greek shipowners made a strong showing in the newbuild market for container ships, with numerous companies emerging as new entrants while others consolidated their market positions through new orders. Feeder container ships became one of the most heavily ordered ship types, while shipowners also consistently opted for medium-sized and even larger container ships throughout the year.