Market sources report that Singapore-based Eastern Pacific Shipping (EPS) placed orders for 13 new vessels at Chinese shipyards in the first half of the year.
Specifically, the shipowner has once again chosen Hengli Heavy Industries, placing an order for seven 6,000-TEU conventional-fuel container ships, bringing the total number of orders for this vessel type to 15.
In the second half of last year, EPS had already placed an order with Hengli Heavy Industries for eight 6,000-TEU container ships, with a unit price of approximately $80 million. Based on this calculation, the total value of the 15 new ships amounts to $1.2 billion. All of these new vessels are expected to be delivered by 2028.
In addition, EPS has placed an order for six 7,000 CEU LNG dual-fuel pure car and track carriers (PCTCs) at two China Merchants Shipyards, with the construction cost of each vessel expected to exceed $100 million.
It is understood that EPS placed orders for these 13 new vessels in the first half of this year, but the details had not been disclosed previously.
Excluding the above orders, EPS has already placed orders for at least 10 new vessels at Chinese shipyards this year, including 2 VLACs and 2 LNG carriers at Jiangnan Shipyard, 4 VLCCs at Hengli Heavy Industries, and 2 Suezmax tankers at Guangzhou Shipyard International.
Information on EPS’s official website shows that the shipping company currently has orders for more than 150 new vessels, covering multiple segments such as oil tankers, container ships, bulk carriers, LPG carriers, and LNG carriers. It is worth noting that last month (June 17), EPS announced its strategic exit from the chemical tanker sector, divesting all 14 of its chemical tankers (including 3 newbuilds).