Evergreen to order 100 container ships in 2010
Taiwan's Evergreen Marine plans to order 100 container ships in 2010 to expand its fleet to nearly 300, Evergreen founder Chang Jung-fa said in an interview published Sunday. Chang told the United Daily News he hopes to realize the goal of making Evergreen the world's largest container line in his lifetime.
As the global financial crisis is coming to an end, Chang said, Evergreen plans to order 100 container ships in 2010.
"Doing the shipping business is not running a grocery store. You have to have vision," he said.
Chang predicted in 2007 that a general economic recovery would not begin until 2012, so Evergreen had not invested in new ships in the past two years.
Chang, 81, said that in 2008, a French shipping company tycoon invited him jointly to build a 15,000-TEU container ship. Chang turned down the offer because he knew the time was not right. But now the time had come to expand the fleet.
Currently, the world's top five container shipping companies are AP Moller-Maersk (550 ships), Mediterranean Shipping Co MSC (391) CMA (360), Evergreen (168) and Hapag-Lloyd (115).
If Evergreen orders 100 more ships, it will boost the fleet to 268, but its world ranking would still be world No 4.
Chang is the founder of the Evergreen Group which launched Evergreen Marine in 1968 and the EVA Air in 1991.
Eva Air is Taiwan's second-largest airline after the China Airlines. EVA Air and its sister airline UNI Air together have 65 aircraft.
As the global financial crisis is coming to an end, Chang said, Evergreen plans to order 100 container ships in 2010.
"Doing the shipping business is not running a grocery store. You have to have vision," he said.
Chang predicted in 2007 that a general economic recovery would not begin until 2012, so Evergreen had not invested in new ships in the past two years.
Chang, 81, said that in 2008, a French shipping company tycoon invited him jointly to build a 15,000-TEU container ship. Chang turned down the offer because he knew the time was not right. But now the time had come to expand the fleet.
Currently, the world's top five container shipping companies are AP Moller-Maersk (550 ships), Mediterranean Shipping Co MSC (391) CMA (360), Evergreen (168) and Hapag-Lloyd (115).
If Evergreen orders 100 more ships, it will boost the fleet to 268, but its world ranking would still be world No 4.
Chang is the founder of the Evergreen Group which launched Evergreen Marine in 1968 and the EVA Air in 1991.
Eva Air is Taiwan's second-largest airline after the China Airlines. EVA Air and its sister airline UNI Air together have 65 aircraft.