Minerva Dry, a subsidiary of the leading Greek private shipowner Minerva Marine, is continuing to expand its presence in the container shipping market by ordering multiple new vessels from a private Chinese shipyard; these new ships feature specifications that significantly surpass those of the company’s existing fleet and previously ordered container vessels.
Shipbrokers and market sources report that Minerva Dry has placed an order with Hengli Heavy Industries for four 6,000 TEU container ships—with delivery expected in 2028—following the formalization of the shipbuilding contract last month.
Founded in 1996 by Andreas Martinos, Minerva Marine is a family-owned private shipping company with operations spanning oil tankers, dry bulk carriers, container ships, and LNG carriers.
According to fleet data on Minerva Marine’s official website, oil tankers constitute the group’s core business. The company currently manages a fleet of 53 vessels, comprising various types such as product tankers, Suezmax tankers, and VLCCs. Dry bulk and container shipping operations are handled by the subsidiary Minerva Dry, which currently operates nine container ships and 12 bulk carriers. Another subsidiary, Minerva Gas, is active in the LNG carrier market and currently operates seven vessels.
Minerva Dry entered the container shipping sector in 2023 and currently holds orders for multiple feeder container ships—primarily in the 3,000 TEU and 1,800 TEU classes—at three Chinese shipyards: (Jinglu Shipyard, Yangzijiang Shipbuilding, and Huanghai Shipbuilding). Deliveries are scheduled to begin in 2027.
Hengli Heavy Industries is a shipyard well-known to Minerva Marine. The two parties had previously signed contracts for the construction of six Aframax tankers and two Suezmax tankers, with deliveries scheduled before 2029.
The 6,000 TEU-class container ship has become a core ship type in Hengli Heavy Industries’ order book; the shipbuilder recently secured an order for seven additional 6,000 TEU container ships from Singapore’s Eastern Pacific Shipping, bringing the total number of vessels of this type under their partnership to 15, with all deliveries scheduled for completion by 2028.
Amid a generally positive global shipbuilding market, enthusiasm for container ship construction remains high; a mid-year report by Veson Nautical indicates that global shipowners placed orders for approximately 340 new vessels in the first half of 2026, a year-on-year increase of 29%.