HAMBURG : German liner Hapag-Lloyd has shifted its newbuilding focus from large container ships to feeder vessels, placing two orders totalling around $1.58bn. Multiple shipbuilding players said Hapag-Lloyd has inked provisional newbuilding contracts with two shipyards in China for feeder ships of between 3,500 teu and 4,500 teu.

The total value of the order is approximately $1.58 billion, with all vessels featuring methanol dual-fuel propulsion. Industry estimates suggest the individual shipbuilding costs per vessel are $70 million and $60 million respectively.

The report states that the two . . .