CONTAINER liner company Zim is chartering up to six 5500-TEU wide-beam newbuild vessels for seven years and a total charter hire consideration of up to about US$600 million.
The ships are scheduled to be delivered between May 2023 and February 2024. They will be built at the South Korean shipyard HJ Shipbuilding & Construction, which was known as Hanjin Heavy Industries & Construction Co.
Zim president and CEO Eli Glickman said: the transaction would secure modern and efficient tonnage vessels, ideally suited to serve on Zim’s expanded network of expedited services, as well as other regional services.
“We continue to advance our strategy of chartering in highly versatile vessels to strengthen our commercial prospects, maintain our flexibility and enhance our position as an innovative provider of seaborne transportation,” Mr Glickman said.
“With a commitment to delivering industry superior profitability, we expect to continue to employ a prudent capital allocation approach, while maintaining our operational agility and creating enduring value for shareholders.”
Zim operates several services to Australia, including the China Australia Express and a New Zealand to Australia service.
