Bangkok-listed Regional Container Lines (RCL) has confirmed orders for four container ship newbuildings at Chinese shipyards, representing a total investment of $370 million, according to TradeWinds.
The agreement includes two 11,000 TEU neo-panamax vessels, contracted for a total of $250 million. RCL stated that these ships are expected to be delivered by the end of 2027, with the cost for each vessel not exceeding $125 million.
The $370 million total includes contracts for two smaller, unnamed vessels valued at $120 million.
This order follows RCL's previous newbuilding contracts placed in 2021 and 2022, also with Chinese yards (Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding and Jiangsu New Yangzi Shipbuilding), focusing on 7,000 TEU vessels.
Regional Container Lines (RCL), founded in 1979, is a Thai-based container shipping line listed on the Stock Exchange of Thailand. It started as a feeder operator between Bangkok and Singapore. Over the years, RCL has expanded its operations and now owns and operates a fleet of container vessels, offering shipper-owned-container (SOC) and carrier-owned-container (COC) services across North Asia, Southeast Asia, the Indian subcontinent, and the Middle East.