MOL: 'We must have 18,000-TEUers if G6 is to compete with Ocean3 and 2M'
JAPANESE shipping giant Mitsui OSK Lines (MOL) - a member of the G6 shipping alliance - has confirmed it is close to chartering 18,000-TEU or larger ship from Hong Kong-administered Seaspan or a Japanese ship owning charterer.
"2M and Ocean Three will place larger vessels to get an advantage in system costs. We will follow them. As long as they rely on 18,000 to 20,000-TEU vessels, G6 will need to compete," MOL managing executive officer Masahiro Tanabe told Lloyd's List.
The Ocean Three network, made up of CMA CGM, China Shipping and United Arab Shipping Co, will also have 20 ships in the 16,000 - 19,000 TEU range by 2017.
MOL is "ready to place those biggest containerships in certain trades to stay cost competitive" with a decision expected by January, said Mr Tanabe.
G6 alliance members, MOL, Hapag-Lloyd, NYK Line, OOCL, APL and Hyundai Merchant Marine, have the smallest average vessel size, so some member lines have been talks about bigger ships for months.
These developments tally with comments from Seaspan chief executive Gerry Wang earlier this week when he said the company was close to ordering ships of between 18,000 and 20,000 TEU.
