The NYSE-registered ship leasing, operating and management company, Seaspan, is making a major move into the mega-ship scene, in a deal just signed up with the Export-Import Bank of China (Cexim).
This provides Seaspan with US$1 billion in export credit facilities for the purchase and construction of vessels from shipyards in China within the next three years. These will join its present fleet of more than 100 vessels, many of which are long-term leased to the world’s major container lines.
It already has a fleet of ships of between 10 000 and 14 000 TEUs. And currently it has 10 more of these vessel sizes under construction, and scheduled for delivery in 2015, 2016 and 2017 - along with options to build six more of this category.
But now it is looking at orders for the largest size of container ships currently operating in the market.
According to Seaspan chief financial officer, Sai Chu, it was “no secret” that it is also aiming at the 18 000-20 000 TEU size.
