Seaspan adds new container ship
Seaspan said it bought a new container ship this week from China’s Zheijiang Shipbuilding, the first vessel the maritime charter operator has purchased since 2007.The purchase of the vessel with 4,250 20-foot equivalents capacity gives Seaspan 51 container ships in operation and 18 on order for delivery over the next two years.
The company said at the same time that it is preparing to close a contract with United Arab Shipping for a time charter of a ship for two years at more than $20,000 a day.
Seaspan, which recently announced a $36.6 million net loss for the first quarter, said it financed the $43 million ship purchase partly by issuing $26 million in preferred stock to Jaccar Holdings, an investment group that is connected to Zheijiang Shipbuilding.
Ship charter companies operate a little more than half the word’s container fleet capacity, measured in TEUs, according to research firm Alphaliner. Average charter rates have been recovering this year from a steep decline that began in early 2008 but remain below peaks set in 2005.
The company said at the same time that it is preparing to close a contract with United Arab Shipping for a time charter of a ship for two years at more than $20,000 a day.
Seaspan, which recently announced a $36.6 million net loss for the first quarter, said it financed the $43 million ship purchase partly by issuing $26 million in preferred stock to Jaccar Holdings, an investment group that is connected to Zheijiang Shipbuilding.
Ship charter companies operate a little more than half the word’s container fleet capacity, measured in TEUs, according to research firm Alphaliner. Average charter rates have been recovering this year from a steep decline that began in early 2008 but remain below peaks set in 2005.