Hapag-Lloyd today ordered five container vessels with a capacity of 10,500 standard containers (TEU) each from the South Korean shipyard Hyundai Samho Heavy Industries. The ships are to be built at the yard in Samho, on the south coast of Korea.

They will be deployed primarily on South American routes. When the expanded Panama Canal opens next year, Hapag-Lloyd will therefore have the optimal fleet for this trade. The expansion of the Panama Canal is one of the biggest civil engineering projects in the world, and will allow the passage of large vessels of up to 14,000 TEU from what is known as the post-Panamax class.

The new Hapag-Lloyd ships will have 2,100 reefers plugs and are therefore particularly suitable for transporting perishable goods such as fruit, vegetables, meat, fish or pharmaceutical products. In addition, they are equipped with a highly efficient main engine, an optimized hull shape and an innovative lashing and loading system for greater loading flexibility.

“This order for five vessels underlines Hapag-Lloyd’s leading role in the Latin American trade. Following our successful merger with CSAV, we are one of the market leaders in this attractive trade and offer our customers a variety of excellent connections to and from South America,” said Anthony J. Firmin, Chief Operating Officer at Hapag-Lloyd.

The ships are scheduled for delivery between October 2016 and May 2017.