Interasia Lines, the privately owned container shipping company of the Chen family that is behind Wan Hai Lines, has exercised options for three more 3,055 TEU ships at Japan’s Nihon Shipyard, adding to the three vessels that were ordered earlier in April.
The trio ordered this month will be delivered in July 2025, while the vessels ordered earlier will be delivered in January 2025.
The Singapore-based Interasia has been an active buyer in the secondhand market over the last two years, when container freight rates surged to historically high levels. From mid-2020 to 2021, the company purchased seven pre-owned ships and two 1,730 TEU newbuilding resales from Reederei Nord.
Interasia, now the world’s 31st largest liner operator, currently operates 22 vessels with a total operating capacity of around 51,000 TEU, including 13 owned ships. The company operates services throughout the intra-Asia market as well as to the Indian subcontinent.
The newbuildings commissioned at Nihon Shipyard, a joint venture between Imabari Shipbuilding and Japan Marine United Corporation, was Interasia’s maiden newbuilding order in its 55-year history.
Interasia said that the newbuildings will help the company’s expansion, add frequency in existing markets, as well as potentially upsize certain services.
Martina Li
Asia Correspondent
