On May 15, the results of the bidding for the construction project of 4+2 1,900 TEU container ships for Ningbo Ocean Shipping Co., Ltd. were announced: Wuchang Shipbuilding Industry Group Co.,Ltd (“WS”) was awarded the contract.
In late March, Ningbo Ocean Shipping issued an announcement regarding the “Investment in the Construction of Container Ships and Containers,” stating that it would invest no more than 1.7 billion yuan (approximately $250 million) to order 4+2 1,900 TEU container ships. Based on this calculation, the cost per vessel would not exceed approximately 283 million yuan. This vessel type has a total length of approximately 171.95 meters, a beam of 27.5 meters, and a draft of 14.5 meters.
Ningbo Ocean Shipping stated that the proposed construction of up to six feeder container ships will help further optimize the fleet structure, expand the fleet size, continuously enhance the company’s route service capabilities, and boost its core competitiveness.
Since 2026, including the latest projects awarded, WS has announced new orders for 15+3 vessels, including 2+1 ice-class multi-purpose vessels ordered by the Danish shipowner NORDEN, as well as 5 1,100 TEU container ships and 4 1,800 TEU container ships ordered by COSCO Shipping Lines.
WS, a subsidiary of China State Shipbuilding Corporation, is a key enterprise in China’s shipbuilding and defense industries. Its current primary vessel types include chemical tankers, container ships, offshore engineering vessels, offshore oil modules, government vessels, research vessels, ro-ro vessels, and multi-purpose vessels.
Ningbo Ocean Shipping is Zhejiang Province’s largest container liner shipping company. With a strong focus on international liner shipping, coastal routes, and Yangtze River services, its network covers 49 major ports both domestically and internationally, making it a major player in the global liner shipping market.
Between 2025 and early 2026, Ningbo Ocean Shipping has confirmed orders for four 2,700-TEU container ships and four 4,300-TEU container ships, with construction costs of 1.296 billion yuan and 1.7 billion yuan, respectively. All vessels will be built by CSSC Huangpu Wenchong Shipbuilding.