MPCC places $228m order for four boxships in China and divests others

Norway’s MPC Container Ships has placed a $228m order for four 4,500-teu container vessels at Chinese shipyard Taizhou Sanfu Ship Engineering with secured 3-year charters and divested some older “non-strategic” tonnage.

The four ships, with deliveries scheduled from the second half of 2027, are expected to generate around $140m in revenue and contribute approximately $100m in EBITDA over the contracted charter period, the company said in its release, adding that each vessel has been fixed on a 3-year time charter with a “leading global liner company.”

The new vessels will be dual-fuel ready, enabling future conversion to ammonia or methanol.

As informed, the project will be financed through a balanced mix of equity and debt.

In parallel with the newbuilding contracts, MPCC will divest three “non-strategic” 1,300-teu vessels for a total consideration of $31.5m, with existing charters attached. The average age of the sold vessels is 18 years.

The company said these sales will reduce the revenue backlog by approximately $10m, subject to vessel handovers. The vessels are sold to unrelated parties, and the completion of the