Mediterranean Shipping Company, MSC’s secondhand buying spree has hit the 300-vessel threshold, according to analyst Alphaliner.
In its weekly newsletter, Alphaliner said that MSC was reported to have purchased six vessels in recent days.
The latest acquisitions bring the total capacity acquired on the secondhand market by MSC in recent years to 1.2 million TEU – a figure which alone would be equivalent to the world’s eighth largest container line sitting between Ocean Network Express (ONE) with a capacity fleet of 1.53 million TEU and HMM with a fleet capacity of 816,000 TEU.
The latest secondhand vessel acquisitions by MSC include the 8,144 TEU Maersk Surabaya, and the 5,570 TEU Maersk Yamuna; the 5,364 TEU vessels Ever Unific and Ever Uberty; the 4,506 TEU Co Nagoya and the 4,045 TEU Pohorje.
On the purchase of the 1999-built pair of vessels from Evergreen which had been expected to be sold for scrap, Alphaliner said, “There was a time when Evergreen would only sell their used tonnage for demolition, or sell them and charter them back, to avoid giving them to competitors. However, the company has since changed its stance on this, it seems.”
Alphaliner said MSC’s fleet now consists of 743 vessels on the water with an aggregate capacity of 4.84 million TEU, representing 18.2% share of total market capacity. The container line has a major newbuilding programme with a further 127 ships with a combined capacity of 1.7 million TEU in order, which is equivalent to 35.1% of its current fleet.
The newbuilding programme combined with MSC’s secondhand spree will cement its position as by far the largest container line going forward. It looks set to go it alone on the major trades from 2025 when the 2M Alliance with Maersk comes to an end.
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