Hapag-Lloyd is stepping up once more the investment in its container fleet in light of the current situation – similar to what the container shipping line did in 2020 in its initial response to the pandemic – as it needs significantly more than the normal number of boxes to carry the same volume because boxes are turning slower.
The container shipping line has ordered 150,000 TEU from China – both dry boxes and state-of-the-art reefer containers.
Container shipping industry
Some of the boxes were already delivered to Hapag-Lloyd and integrated into its existing container fleet in the first quarter of 2021, but the majority of them are expected to be delivered in the upcoming months. Additionally, Hapag-Lloyd has ordered 8,000 TEU of special containers to be used for oversized or dangerous goods.
“The container shipping industry is currently seeing unprecedented demand, which has led to a shortage of containers all over the world. With its recent container orders, Hapag-Lloyd is contributing to efforts to ease the current situation and will be able to offer its customers a much better service,” says Rolf Habben Jansen, CEO of Hapag-Lloyd. The investments amount to roughly USD 550 million – making it one of the biggest container orders in the history of Hapag-Lloyd.
