MSC Returns to Mid-Sized Containership Market with New Orders

Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) is returning to the mid-sized containership market with a newbuilding order at China’s Yangzhou Guoyu Shipyard. Market sources report that the world’s largest container line has signed firm contracts for at least two conventionally fuelled 5,000 TEU vessels, with some brokers suggesting the agreement could include up to five ships, including options.

The first vessels are scheduled for delivery in the second half of 2028, with additional units expected later that year or in early 2029. Pricing details remain unconfirmed, but brokers indicate MSC may have secured the deal below the USD 60 million mark, possibly reflecting simpler designs with smaller engines and limited reefer capacity.

MSC currently maintains the largest orderbook in the liner industry, with more than 2.1 million TEU on order, representing nearly 30% of its existing fleet capacity. Most of its 120 ships on order are ultra-large vessels ranging from 10,000 TEU to 24,000 TEU. The last exception was in late 2021, when MSC ordered 3,700 TEU LNG-powered ships, though market sources suggest those contracts may have been quietly canceled. Orders for 4,860 TEU ships were last recorded more than 20 years ago.

Despite its focus on large newbuildings, MSC has been active in the secondhand market, acquiring numerous sub-10,000 TEU vessels over the past four years to strengthen its regional and feeder networks. The new Guoyu Shipyard deal indicates MSC is now seeking to balance its fleet profile, adding modern mid-sized tonnage to support trades where ultra-large ships are less practical.