OCEAN Network Express is understood to be making plans for further newbuilding projects to add to its already considerable orderbook, as part of a long-term strategy to boost market share.
Alphaliner reports that the Singapore-headquartered container line, which is the world’s sixth largest boxship operator, could be lining up orders for up to 22 newbuildings.
Citing sources in South Korea, ONE appears to be in the market for up to a dozen 13,000 teu neo-panamax vessels and up to 10 ultra-large boxships of 15,000 teu.
“Reportedly, most major shipyards from South Korea, China and Japan have answered ONE’s recent request for proposals and orders could be placed very soon,” noted Alphaliner.
All of the planned newbuildings are expected to be of liquefied natural gas dual-fuel specification.
ONE’s most recent newbuilding contract was signed in June 2025 for eight 15,900 teu boxships from South Korea’s HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering.
The LNG dual-fuel ships will all be built by HD KSOE’s HD Hyundai Heavy Industries yard in Ulsan, with delivery of the vessels scheduled for the second half of 2028.
ONE was created in 2017 by amalgamating the container line operations of Japan’s three biggest shipowners — NYK, MOL Lines and K-Line — following years of overcapacity and low freight rates.
The company signed its first newbuilding contracts in 2022 and has amassed total orders for 50 new containerships so far.
In addition to the order signed last June, ONE signed up for 42 methanol and ammonia-ready containerships, ranging from 13,000 teu to 13,700 teu, between 2022 and 2024 for its own account.
The orders were placed at Chinese, Japanese and South Korean shipyards. Twelve of the ships have already been delivered.
ONE is also set to take delivery of a total of four 7,900 teu, scrubber-fitted, boxships this year and in 2027 via long-term charter agreements with Greek tonnage provider Navios.
Earlier this month, ONE revealed plans to significantly increase its investment in Seaspan, the world’s largest containership tonnage provider.
It will raise its stake in Poseidon Corp, Seaspan’s parent, from 28.7% to 48.9% by purchasing shares from existing investors. Chief executive Jeremy Nixon said the move supports ONE’s long-term strategy to grow market share by expanding fleet capacity.
Of ONE’s 280 operated containerships, about 15% are chartered from Seaspan.
Other significant boxship newbuilding contracts in the pipeline include six 13,000 teu vessels for Yang Ming. Earlier this month the Taiwanese container line confirmed that it is set to order the new series of neo-panamax vessels as part of its vessel fleet renewal and expansion goals.
The new containerships are expected to be of LNG dual-fuel specification and will replace ageing vessels and upcoming charter-expiry tonnage of between 4,250 teu and 6,500 teu.
Yang Ming has not disclosed which shipyards are expected to tender for the new tonnage, but the company has exclusively favoured Japanese, South Korean or Taiwan’s CSBC for all its earlier newbuilding contracts.
