Maersk adds to global fleet with 8 new orders from China

A.P. Moller – Maersk (Maersk), the world’s second biggest company, has signed an order of eight Ultra-Large Container Vessels (ULCV) from China carrying 18,600 TEU vessels. The ships will be built by New Times Shipbuilding Co. Ltd. with expected delivery in 2029 and 2030.

“The order is part of our ongoing fleet renewal and helps maintain our fleet’s competitive edge,” said Anda Cristescu, head of Chartering and Newbuilding at Maersk. Plus the eight, Maersk now has 33 vessels on order, with four scheduled for delivery in the remainder of 2026.

At 366 meters in length and 58.6 meters in breadth, the vessels are more compact than the current maximum container vessel length of 400 meters. Cristescu considers it flexibility. “Although these vessels are large, they offer greater flexibility than the largest ships currently being built in our industry. This provides us with multiple deployment options across both our current and future networks,” he said.

Maersk said the ships will be equipped with dual-fuel engines able to operate on conventional bunker fuel or liquified gas.

Bethel Olujobi

Bethel Olujobi reports on trade and maritime business for BusinessDay with prior experience reporting on migration, labour, and tech. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Mass Communication from the University of Jos, and is certified by the FT, Reuters and Google. Drawing from his experience working with other respected news providers, he presents a nuanced and informed perspective on the complexities of critical matters. He is based in Lagos, Nigeria and occasionally commutes to Abuja.