Taiwan's Evergreen Marine Corp plans to expand its fleet to cope with a recovery in container shipping since the end of the global economic crisis, a newspaper said Tuesday. Evergreen, the world's fourth-largest maritime shipping company, plans to buy at least a dozen vessels that can carry 7,000 to 8,000 standard-sized shipping containers, the Economic Daily News reported.
"Evergreen is discussing with Japanese, South Korean and Taiwanese shipyards," the paper quoted company vice president Hsieh Chih-chien as saying. "They will quote prices to Evergreen before the end of April."
Hsieh said Evergreen expected an improved business climate as the global economic crisis eases, particularly since China's free-trade agreement with the Association of South-East Asian Nations took effect on January 1.
The trade pact was expected to boost South-East Asia's shipping business by up to 10 per cent, he was quoted as saying.
Evergreen has 150 container ships and hopes to eventually become the world's largest shipping line.