After years of massive orders for ultra large dual fuel container ships, the world's largest shipping company, MSC, is quietly adjusting its new shipbuilding strategy. This industry leader, which has long focused on ships with a capacity of over 10000 containers, has recently set its sights on the small and medium-sized container ship market for the first time. This strategic shift not only marks the evolution of global shipping giants' fleet renewal ideas, but also brings new market opportunities for some Chinese shipyards.

Guoyu Shipbuilding is favored by giants and has won strategic transformation orders

According to industry sources, Mediterranean Shipping has placed an order for 2+2 5000TEU container ships with Yangzhou Guoyu Shipbuilding. The first 2 ships are scheduled to be delivered in the second half of 2028 and will be powered by traditional fuels. The order was signed at the end of 2024 and has not been publicly disclosed before. It is estimated that the cost of a single ship is between 50 million and 59 million US dollars, and the total transaction volume can reach up to approximately 236 million US dollars.

It is worth noting that this is the smallest container ship ordered by Mediterranean Shipping in recent years, and its last order for a similar sized vessel (approximately 4860TEU) dates back more than 20 years. This order is of great significance to Guoyu Shipbuilding. It is the first time that the shipyard has directly signed a contract with a top global shipping company after undergoing restructuring and comprehensive resumption of work and production, marking its re recognition in the mainstream market and successful transformation towards building high value-added ships.

Strategic intention from 'super large' to 'small and medium-sized'

This order has been interpreted by the market as a prelude to Mediterranean Shipping's large-scale update of its vast feeder fleet. According to reports, the company considered ordering up to 120 new vessels ranging from 1100TEU to 5000TEU in the middle of last year to replace its aging fleet of feeder ships. Data shows that the average age of Mediterranean shipping's own feeder fleet has reached 22 years. This move aims to optimize the fleet structure and improve operational efficiency.

Compared to its existing handheld orders of up to 113 LNG dual fuel super large ships ranging from 10300TEU to 24000TEU, the focus on small and medium-sized ships this time forms a sharp contrast, demonstrating its strategic intention to comprehensively and hierarchically update its fleet. In 2025 alone, the company has invested approximately $8.5 billion in Chinese shipping companies to order up to 39 ultra large dual fuel container ships.

The Dual Variation of Industry Pattern and Shipyard Destiny

The strategic adjustment of Mediterranean shipping will have an impact on the global shipping market and shipbuilding industry. On the one hand, as a leading player in the industry, its trends have a guiding significance, which may lead more shipping companies to pay attention to the updates of their feeder fleets, thus forming a new wave of orders in specific segmented markets. On the other hand, this also provides a valuable development window for shipyards like Guoyu Shipbuilding, which have specific construction capabilities and are in the recovery stage. Keywords: Construction Strategy News, Construction Engineering

After obtaining new life through bankruptcy reorganization, Guoyu Shipbuilding has successively received domestic and foreign orders. Currently, it holds 37 orders and the production plan is scheduled for 2028. Its experience reflects the resilience demonstrated by China's shipbuilding industry in the face of cyclical fluctuations. Currently, Mediterranean Shipping ranks first in the world with a total capacity of 7.18 million TEUs and a market share of 21.4%. Its orders for 123 new ships under construction totaling 2.12 million TEUs further solidify its future market position, and every order movement affects the nerves of the global maritime logistics network. Editor/Yang Beihua