MSC adds three more megamaxes at Waigaoqiao

Mediterranean Shipping Co (MSC) has been linked to another three LNG dual-fuel megamax containerships at China’s Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding (SWS), expanding its series at the CSSC-owned yard to 13 vessels.

Shipbroking sources place the latest 21,700 teu newbuildings at around $210m apiece, valuing the additional investment at approximately $630m and adding another 65,100 teu to the Gianluigi Aponte-controlled carrier’s orderbook.

Chinese shipbuilding market reports indicate that the three vessels were contracted earlier this year, with deliveries pencilled in for March, July and November 2029. Neither MSC nor SWS has publicly confirmed the latest agreement or disclosed its value.

The order builds on MSC’s existing ten-ship programme at Waigaoqiao. The Geneva-based liner initially contracted six 19,000 teu LNG dual-fuel ships in 2024 before upgrading their capacity and adding another four vessels last year.

The latest investment adds to an extensive round of contracting across Chinese yards. MSC was recently linked to another 20 megamax vessels of 24,000 teu at Hengli Heavy Industries in Dalian, potentially adding 480,000 teu of future capacity.

The reported Hengli programme follows earlier orders for 21,000 teu to 24,000 teu ships at the yard, where MSC has steadily expanded its presence since the two companies signed a strategic cooperation agreement in 2024.

The Soren Toft-led carrier has also strengthened its relationship with Zhoushan Changhong International, where it has been linked to six additional 21,700 teu LNG dual-fuel vessels for delivery in 2029 and 2030.

MSC’s operated fleet stood at approximately 7.47m teu at the end of October, with its newbuilding pipeline approaching 3.4m teu, according to Alphaliner figures. The combined capacity of ships in service and on order has now passed 10m teu.

Waigaoqiao has meanwhile secured several large boxship programmes from other major liner operators. In August, COSCO Shipping Holdings contracted twelve 21,700 teu LNG dual-fuel vessels at the Shanghai yard for $2.688bn, equivalent to $224m per ship, with deliveries scheduled between 2028 and 2030.