HAPAG-Lloyd, the fifth-largest container line by TEU capacity, has ordered 150,000 TEU of standard and reefer containers for some US$550 million.
The company said this is one of the biggest container orders in its history.
Hapag-Lloyd said the investment in its container fleet stems from the fact that it needs significantly more boxes to carry the same volume of cargo because boxes are turning over slower, compared with pre-pandemic times.
Hapag-Lloyd has ordered the boxes form China – both dry boxes and reefer containers.
Some of the containers have already delivered to Hapag-Lloyd and integrated into its existing container fleet in the first quarter of 2021. However, most are expected in the upcoming months
Additionally, Hapag-Lloyd has ordered 8000 TEU of special containers to be used for over-sized or dangerous goods.
Hapag-Lloyd CEO Rolf Habben Jansen said: “The container shipping industry is currently seeing unprecedented demand, which has led to a shortage of containers all over the world.
“With its recent container orders, Hapag-Lloyd is contributing to efforts to ease the current situation and will be able to offer its customers a much better service.”
