Capital Maritime, a shipping company owned by Greek shipping king Evangelos Marinakis, is in talks with two shipbuilders on a project of 20 container ships of three types worth approximately US$1.55 billion.
According to TradeWinds, Capital Maritime will order six 8,800TEU liquefied natural gas (LNG) dual-fueled container ships from HD Hyundai Samho, with each ship costing approximately US$140 million and the total value of the six ships being approximately US$840 million. It will also order eight 2,800TEU and six 1,800TEU container ships from HD Hyundai Mipo, with each ship costing approximately US$55 million and US$45 million respectively.
The total value of the two Type 14 new ships is approximately US$710 million. They will be equipped with scrubbers and enhanced auxiliary power units, with the possibility of installing carbon capture systems in the future.
Capital Maritime is said to be signing formal shipbuilding contracts with two shipbuilders soon, with new ships expected to be delivered between 2027 and 2028.
To date, Evangelos Marinakis’ shipping companies have placed orders for at least 80 new ships, including Very Large Crude Carriers (VLCCs), Suezmax tankers, Aframax tankers, containerships, LNG carriers, LPG carriers and platform supply vessels.
Evangelos Marinakis has placed dozens of orders for new ships, and several shipbuilders, including New Times Shipbuilding, Fujian Mawei Shipbuilding, Nantong CIMC Sinopacific Offshore & Engineering Co., Ltd (CIMC SOE), and Dalian Shipbuilding Industry Corporation (DSIC), have successfully won his orders.
For example, Capital Maritime ordered 10 8,400TEU LNG dual-fueled container ships from New Times Shipbuilding, with a total value of approximately US$1.25 billion and a single ship cost of approximately US$125 million. They are expected to be delivered from early 2027 to 2028. Capital Maritime ordered 10 platform supply vessels (PSVs) from Mawei Shipbuilding, with a single ship cost of approximately US$40 million and a total value of approximately US$400 million; The company also ordered 6 LNG dual-fuel powered VLCCs from DSIC, with a single ship cost of approximately US$140 million and a total value of approximately US$840 million. Deliveries will begin at the end of 2026; it ordered 4 40,000 cubic meter LPG/liquid ammonia carriers from CIMC SOE, etc.
It is worth noting that in addition to the orders to be placed with Korean shipbuilders, Capital Maritime is also seeking slots from Chinese shipyards for the construction of 4,300 TEU and 7,000 TEU container ships.
It is worth mentioning that in response to the measures the United States intends to take after launching a “301” investigation against China, Evangelos Marinakis said that as long as the United States imposes high port fees on Chinese-built ships, its 140 ships will completely withdraw from operating on US routes.