Market sources report that Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), the world’s largest shipping line, recently placed an order for three additional 21,000-TEU vessels with Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding. The new ships are expected to be delivered between July 2028 and the end of 2029.
The specific value of the order has not been disclosed. For reference, the market price for a container ship of this size is approximately $225 million; based on this reference, the total value of the order is estimated at approximately $675 million.
MSC’s new shipbuilding program continues to expand. Over the past six months, the liner giant has invested more than $10 billion in ultra-large container ships.
Recently, MSC also placed an order with Hengli Heavy Industries for 20 24,000-TEU container ships, with a total value of nearly $5 billion, scheduled for delivery in 2029 and 2030. This order brings the size of MSC’s fleet under construction to a new record high.
Alphaliner data shows that as of the end of October 2026, MSC’s operational fleet stood at approximately 7.47 million TEU, accounting for 21.5% of global liner capacity; its order book for vessels under construction had reached approximately 3.379 million TEU, representing 45.2% of global container ship orders; and the combined total of its operational fleet and vessels under construction had surpassed the 10-million-TEU mark.
Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding has announced more than 50 new ship orders this year, covering container ships, oil tankers, floating production, storage, and offloading (FPSO) hulls, and cruise ship projects, with delivery schedules extending through 2030.