According to The Loadstar, charter rates for Bangkokmax vessels (1,600–1,900 TEU) have increased 18% over the past year to nearly $32,000 per day, as only three new ships have been delivered in 2026 — reflecting a sustained pause in newbuilding orders since 2023.
Demand Surges Amid Tight Supply
Growing intra-Asia trade is intensifying demand for midsize container vessels, driving both charter rate appreciation and resale price gains. Resale prices for Bangkokmax ships now range from $35m to $45m, varying by vessel age and country of build. For instance, Safeen Feeders acquired the 2009-built 1,732 teu Hansa Rotenburg from German owner Leonhardt & Blumberg for an undisclosed sum.
Meanwhile, HMM — South Korea’s flagship carrier — purchased two 1,956 teu newbuilding resales, HMM Milestone and HMM Harmony, from Chinese owner Baozhou Shipping to rebuild its intra-Asia network.
Recent fixtures illustrate the pricing divergence: CMA CGM chartered the 2006-built 1,740 teu Elbella for $34,000 per day for 11 to 13 months, while OOCL fixed the 2024-built 1,781 teu Seatrade Peru at $25,000 per day for 23 to 25 months.
Newbuilding Orders Accelerate
In response to scarcity, operators and non-operating owners are placing new orders. Container shipping consultancy Linerlytica reported that the Bangkokmax orderbook now stands at 252 vessels. The 2026 order pipeline includes eight 1,900 teu ships commissioned by Hong Kong-based Moon Keung Shipping & Transportation at Jiangsu Yangzi Hongyuan Shipbuilding, scheduled for delivery between 2028 and 2029.
This marks Moon Keung’s first newbuilding order after previously acquiring pre-owned vessels and chartering them to Shanghai Jin Jiang Shipping. Regional Container Lines has ordered four 1,900 teu vessels at CSSC Huangpu Wenchong Shipbuilding, and Sea Consortium — the corporate entity of X-Press Feeders — has commissioned four 1,700 teu ships at Taizhou Sanfu Ship Engineering, all for delivery in 2029.
Linerlytica stated:
“The shortage is expected to persist through the first half of 2027, with just 12 new ships scheduled for delivery for the rest of 2026.”
Source: The Loadstar
Compiled from international media by the SCI.AI editorial team.
