MPCC Buys Four Container Ships, Secures $375M Financing
MPC Container Ships (MPCC) has agreed to acquire four eco-conventional container vessels for a total of $340 million, each backed by a three-year fixed-rate time charter with a top-five liner company, as it advances its fleet modernization program.The vessels, built in 2023 and 2024 and each with a capacity of 7,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU), are expected to be delivered in October and November 2026, subject to inspection and customary closing conditions.The fixed-rate…
MPCC Places Order for Six New Container Ships to Chinese Shipyard
MPC Container Ships (MPCC) has entered into contracts with Taizhou Sanfu Ship Engineering in China for the construction of six 3,700 TEU container vessels scheduled for first delivery in second half of 2028.Each vessel will operate under a 10-year time charter, with extension options, to a top five liner company.The vessels are based on the newest design, which optimizes speed and fuel consumption for regional and feeder trades, while keeping enough flexibility to shift between…
MPCC Orders Four New Container Ships from China
MPC Container Ships (MPCC) has entered into contracts with Jiangsu Hantong Ship Heavy Industry in China for the construction of four 4,500 TEU container vessels, scheduled for delivery starting first half of 2028.The contract price per vessel is $58 million and the agreement includes options for two additional vessels at the same price.Each vessel will operate under a 10-year time charter, with extension options, for a leading global liner company.The vessel design and commercial structure were optimized collaboratively with the charterer to ensure an optimal fit for their network…
Energy Storage and New Fuels Work Together as One on Vessels
There’s an obvious fuel saving advantage, but partnering energy storage systems with new fuels brings other advantages too.There’s a new generation of vessels emerging which is exemplified by Grimaldi’s PCTC Grande Shanghai, claimed to reduce fuel consumption by 50% compared to previous-generation car carriers, and the NCL Vestland, a container feeder vessel similarly claimed to reduce energy consumption per TEU per nautical mile by 63%.What these vessels have in common is a propulsion system that combines energy storage systems and new fuels.As Henrik Helgesen…
WFW Advises MPCC on $260m Fleet Optimization
Watson Farley & Williams (WFW) advised MPC Container Ships ASA (MPCC) on two transactions as part of the implementation of its fleet strategy.The first transaction was the order of four new 4,500 TEU container vessels from Chinese shipyard Taizhou Sanfu Ship Engineering for a total investment of $228m. The ships are scheduled for completion and delivery to MPCC in the second half of 2027.MPC has already signed three-year charter agreements with a leading global liner company for these newbuildings. The vessels are prepared for conversion to alternative fuels such as ammonia or methanol and will therefore contribute to the decarbonisation of maritime transport in the long term.In parallel, MPCC sold three older 1,300 TEU vessels with existing charter agreements for a total price of $31.5m.
Watson Farley & Williams Advises MPCC on Container Ship Sale
Watson Farley & Williams (WFW) advised shipping company MPC Container Ships ASA (MPCC) on its sale of seven container ships for a transaction value of US$94 million. The disposal is part of MPCC's strategic development and the targeted restructuring of its fleet.MPCC has agreed to sell five ships en bloc to Contships Group, comprising three 1,300 TEU ships and two 2,000 TEU ships. In addition, two further ships have been sold to Seacon Group.Oslo-based MPCC is a leading container ship owner with a focus on small to medium-sized vessels.
Norway Sets the Bar High With Green Orders
As the shipping world prepares to descend on Oslo for Nor’ Shipping 2025, we take a look at the Norwegian fleet which is currently valued at USD 66.2 bn using VesselsValue data. The following charts highlight the Norwegian fleet breakdown by vessel type, top Norwegian companies, S&P transactions, and the breakdown of dual fuel orders by sector. Thanks to government-backed initiatives such as Enova, who offer financial support to facilitate the green transition, Norway is ahead of the game in sustainability when compared to the rest of the world.
MPCC, NCL, Elkem Christen Dual-Fuel Methanol Container Ship
MPC Container Ships (MPCC), in partnership with North Sea Container Line (NCL) and Elkem, have christened the NCL VESTLAND, the first of two dual-fuel 1,300 TEU newbuildings to be delivered in 2025The ceremony marks the start of the vessel’s service between Western, Central and Northern Norway and Rotterdam.The container feeder vessel is the first of two MPCC dual-fuel 1,300 TEU newbuildings to be delivered in 2025, and is also the first dual-fuel vessel in the MPCC fleet which enables operation on methanol.The vessels come with 15-year time charters to NCL…
MPCC Sells Five Container Ships as Part of Fleet Optimization Effort
MPC Container Ships (MPCC) has entered into an agreement to sell five vessels en bloc, involving three 1,300 TEU vessels and two 2,000 TEU vessels.Separately, two vessels were recently sold to an undisclosed buyer. The average age of the seven sold vessels is 17 years.The five vessels will be sold with the existing charters attached, which will reduce the revenue backlog by approximately $40 million, subject to the respective handover dates, of which $24 million relates to 2025.The vessels are sold to unrelated parties…
WFW Advises Eurazeo on Investment in Offshore Service Vessel Platform
Watson Farley & Williams (‘WFW’) advised Eurazeo, acting as lead investor via its Eurazeo Transition Infrastructure Fund, on a $73m investment in new offshore service vessel platform MPC OSE Offshore. The platform, a joint venture between MPC Capital and O.S. Energy, helps develop, build, and manage service support vessels for offshore wind farms. The consortium of investors comprised the European family office and others in addition to Eurazeo.A leading European investment group with $37bn AUM, Eurazeo supports 600+ mid-market companies across Europe, Asia, and the United States.MPC Capital is a global investment and asset manager with $5bn AUM specializing in transport…
Eurazeo Provides Over $70M for MPC OSE Offshore’s New SOVs
Investment group Eurazeo has made a $73.1 million investment in MPC OSE Offshore, a joint venture established by MPC Capital and German offshore services firm O.S. Energy, with the aim of building and managing new service operations vessels (SOVs) for offshore wind farms.Eurazeo made the investment through its Eurazeo Transition Infrastructure Fund (ETIF), a fund with a sustainable investment strategy focusing on the transition of essential infrastructure to a low-carbon economy.This…
MPCC’s First Dual-Fuel Methanol Container Ship Hits Water
Norwegian shipowner MPC Container Ships (MPCC) has taken delivery of its first dual-fueled methanol container ship newbuilding from Chinese-based shipyard Taizhou Sanfu Ship Engineering.This is the first of the two dual-fuel methanol container ships up for delivery from the Chinese shipayrds, which are secured by 15-year time charter agreements with North Sea Container Line (NCL).The vessels feature dual-fuel engines that enable operation on green methanol, and according to MPCC, the methanol use will reduce the CO2 emissions from the vessels by up to 95%.“This innovative vessel embarks on a 1
Follow the Money: Norway is Fertile Grounds for Shipping Projects
With the world’s largest sovereign wealth fund, Norway’s financial muscle is beyond question. Howev-er, at a corporate level, the country’s capital markets offer a range of benefits to overseas companies seeking equity, debt … or both. Øivind Amundsen is CEO of Oslo Børs and, as you would expect, a strong advocate of the Norwegian capital as a place to raise money for marine-related projects. The diverse nature of the companies which are listed on the Børs, part of Europe’s largest stock exchange group…
Chemfleet to Fit 3 More Ships with Berg Upgrade for Fuel Efficiency
Turkish specialized ship manager Chemfleet has confirmed it would equip three more ships with an in-service Berg Propulsion upgrade after verifying 10% fuel savings with chemical tanker trials.According to Chemfleet, an in-service Berg Propulsion upgrade to control systems onboard the tanker YM Miranda yielded fuel savings of around 10%.Trials following the installation of Berg MPC800M control system onboard the 12,933 dwt IMO II chemical tanker have persuaded Chemfleet to upgrade three additional 6…
Berg Propulsion for Erik Thun Newbuilds
Erik Thun Group selected Berg Propulsion’s Dynamic Drive technology to optimize efficiency on board all 10 of its latest newbuildings. The Swedish owner confirmed its decision after pilot installations exceeded energy efficiency gain expectations, with the integrated drive solution helping to save 10% of fuel, rising to 20% in some operational conditions.As part of Erik Thun’s rolling fleet renewal strategy, the owner recently expanded its newbuild program with Dutch yard Shipsveerf Ferus Smit B.V to include four 5…
Four New Partners Join Silk Alliance Singapore
The Silk Alliance continues to grow with the addition of Yara Clean Ammonia, the Methanol Institute, MPC Container Ships and the NUS Centre for Maritime Studies.The new partners join following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) and Lloyd’s Register (LR) Maritime Decarbonisation Hub for the Silk Alliance as they plan to support the proposed project aimed at the decarbonisation of a regional shipping corridor centred on the container trades.The Silk Alliance is focused on a regional fleet…
Unifeeder, MPCC JV Aims to Drive Decarbonization
Unifeeder A/S and MPC Container Ships ASA (MPCC) announced a new collaboration to make joint investments into energy efficiency technology (EET), a partnership that will see the parties unite to increase decarbonization and efficiency in maritime transport.Under the agreement, Unifeeder and MPCC will jointly invest in efficiency-enhancing retrofits with advanced EET solutions. The investments will be shared between the charterer, Unifeeder, and MPCC. Subsequent cost savings resulting from these energy efficiency enhancements will also be shared between the two parties…
MPCC Acquires Two Container Ships as Part of 10-Vessel Charter Deal
MPC Container Ships (MPCC) has acquired two 3,500 TEU vessels and secured a charter agreement package for a total of 10 vessels, including the new acquisitions.The acquisition consists of two 3,500 TEU vessels at a total price of $47.25 million. The vessels are expected to be handed over from their current owner in the third quarter of 2024 and will be delivered into pre-agreed firm 36-month time charter contracts with a top-tier liner company.These vessels are anticipated to generate aggregate revenues of approximately $55 million over the charter period…
Industry Unites on Enclosed Space Deaths
Appalled that deaths in enclosed spaces continue to be all too frequent occurrences in the shipping industry, the Maritime Professional Council of the United Kingdom (MPC) has announced its support for fundamental changes to ship operation and design.MPC member InterManager has been at the forefront of raising this issue where, it says, seemingly innocuous compartments, cargo holds and fuel tanks, vital for storage and operation on board any vessel, have become graveyards for far too many seafarers due to a lack of attention…
Wilhelmsen, MPC Capital Acquire Zeaborn
Wilhelmsen Ship Management and MPC Capital jointly acquire 100 % of Zeaborn Ship ManagementWilhelmsen Ship Management (Wilhelmsen) and MPC Capital have agreed to acquire 100% of the company Zeaborn Ship Management, which the acquiring companis position as the next milestone in the partnership between MPC Capital and Wilhelmsen and their ship management joint venture Wilhelmsen Ahrenkiel Ship Management and tanker specialist Barber Ship Management.Zeaborn manages a fleet of around 100 vessels…
MPCC Secures Funding for Two Dual-Fuel Methanol Containerships
Norwegian shipowner MPC Container Ships (MPCC) has signed a $55 million pre and post-delivery ECA covered financing agreement with Deutsche Bank and SINOSURE for its two dual-fuel methanol newbuildings.The vessels are scheduled for delivery towards the end of 2024 and are secured by 15-year time charter agreements with North Sea Container Line (NCL). The loan matures in 2036, according to MPCC.Chinese-based shipyard Taizhou Sanfu Ship Engineering is in charge of the construction…
MPCC Announces Newbuild and Retrofit Plans
MPC Container Ships (MPCC) on Monday announced plans to retrofit several of its ships and build one new vessel as part of its ongoing fleet renewal and decarbonization strategy.The Norwegian shipowner said it has entered into joint retrofit agreements with various charter customers, under which both the charterer and MPCC will share the costs of retrofit investments followed by an extension of the vessels time-charter contracts. MPCC also said it has partnered with Denmark-based Unifeeder in a joint investment for the construction of a 1,250 TEU dual-fuel methanol newbuilding.
Unifeeder to Add Two More Methanol-powered Vessels
Unifeeder Group announced it has completed a long-term charter agreement for two additional methanol-capable container feeder vessels. This follows the agreement for two initial vessels announced in October 2023. The latest agreement is in partnership with German-based ship owning group Elbdeich Reederei and Norwegian shipowner MPC Container Ships (MPCC), who are responsible for one vessel each. The 1,250 twenty-foot equivalent unit (TEU) vessels, scheduled for delivery in 2026…