Germany’s Elbdeich Reederei recently expanded its fleet with two new container ships, reportedly built by Asian shipyards.
Elbdeich Reederei has not yet disclosed details regarding the specifications of the new vessels or the shipyards involved in this latest shipbuilding project; however, according to market sources, the shipping company has placed an order with Hengli Heavy Industries for two 3,200 TEU container ships, with each vessel costing approximately $48 million and scheduled for delivery in 2028.
This latest project is a continuation of Elbdeich Reederei’s fleet expansion plan. In 2023, Elbdeich Reederei announced plans to expand its fleet capacity through a combination of ordering new energy-efficient vessels from Asian shipyards and acquiring secondhand vessels. That same year, the company placed an order with CSSC Huangpu Wenchong Shipbuilding for 2+2 1,250-TEU methanol-dual-fuel container ships, with the option for two additional vessels to take effect in early 2024. This batch of new vessels has already been delivered.
In early 2025, Elbdeich Reederei returned to Huangpu Wenchong to place a new shipbuilding order for larger 1,900-TEU container ships, totaling 2+2 vessels, with a unit price of approximately $32.2 million. The option for two additional vessels took effect in March of the same year, and all vessels are expected to be delivered between the fourth quarter of 2026 and 2027; In August, the two parties reached another agreement, signing a contract for the construction of two 5,100-TEU container ships from the “Honghu” series, which are expected to be delivered in 2027.
With the addition of the two latest 3,200 TEU container ships, Elbdeich Reederei currently holds orders for eight container ships across three ship types: 1,900 TEU, 3,200 TEU, and 5,100 TEU. The shipowner stated that these new vessels will be built to comply with the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Tier III nitrogen oxide (NOx) emission standards and will be equipped with fuel-saving devices.
Official website information indicates that Elbdeich Reederei was founded in 2004 and is currently wholly owned by the Peter Frese family. The company specializes in the operation of small- and medium-sized container ships and, over the years, has grown to become one of the leading companies in Europe’s feeder container shipping sector. It currently operates a fleet of more than 30 vessels.