Hapag-Lloyd Expands and Upgrades Its Fleet

Hapag-Lloyd German container shipping company Hapag-Lloyd has taken delivery of two 3,500 TEU ships with a special wide-beam design from the Dutch shipping company NileDutch. The companies did not disclose the purchase price of the two vessels, which are initially scheduled to be deployed in South America. The wide-beam design of the hull means that the ships, which were built in 2015, maintain a comparatively high slot capacity despite having a lower draught, thereby making them particularly well suited for ports with shallow water as for example some South American ports, Hapag-Lloyd said. Hapag-Lloyd is also chartering two more identical ships from NileDutch’s same series, both of which will be deployed together with their sister ships. Alongside our market leadership in certain trades, such as the Atlantic, we also strengthen our position in an attractive niche market further such as the cabotage business in South America, where we will be initially deploying the new vessels, Anthony J. Firmin, COO of Hapag-Lloyd, said. Furthermore, in order to reinforce its presence in the North Atlantic, Hapag-Lloyd is chartering four more wide-beam ships for services between the Mediterranean and Montreal, Canada. The ships, which are two years old and have an operating capacity of some 2,700 TEU, will replace the existing, older tonnage. Hapag-Lloyd’s fleet currently comprises 177 ships with an average age of around 7.2 years.