by Lloyd's List
25 April 2025 (Lloyd's List) - WAN Hai Lines has added four more newbuildings to existing orders signed last year, for a total of eight ultra-large containerships at two South Korean shipyards.
The Taiwanese liner operator signed up for four 16,000 teu boxships each at HD Hyundai Samho and Samsung Heavy Industries in October 2024, in a deal valued at a combined $1.6bn.
Two vessels each of the same design, understood to be optional units tied to October‘s order, have been added at each shipyard. The latest vessels are all set to be delivered in the first half of 2028.
Wan Hai Lines’ latest newbuildings bring its backlog of new tonnage on order up to 32 vessels, with a combined capacity of 352,000 teu.
In addition to the 12 16,000 teu newbuildings, the Taipei-headquartered company has 20 8,000 teu boxships on order. They were contracted in August 2024, with the contract divided up between HD Hyundai Samho, which is building four ships, and Taiwan’s CSBC Corp, which is constructing 16 vessels.
All of Wan Hai Lines’ newbuildings have been specified to methanol dual-fuel or methanol-ready specification.
Wan Hai Lines is a regular client of both HD Hyundai and Samsung. In March it took delivery of Wan Hai A18 (IMO: 9968530), which is the eleventh vessel in a series of 13 13,100 teu containerships ordered from Samsung in 2022.
In March, the world’s 11th-largest container line operator confirmed that it was evaluating whether to switch the orders to LNG dual-fuel specification, due to methanol future supply concerns.
Orders for new containerships have stayed strong in 2025, including contracts for ultra-large boxships of up to 24,000 teu for leading operators CMA CGM, Evergreen and Mediterranean Shipping Co.
More boxship orders are expected to be firmed up soon.
They include 20 vessels of between 1,800 teu and 8,400 teu for Greece’s Capital Maritime.
The non-operating owner is understood to have signed letters of intent for the new vessels at South Korea’s HD Hyundai Samho and HD Hyundai Mipo.
