Shanghai-based Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding said it had received an order to build China's biggest-ever container vessels, capable of carrying 8,530 20-foot equivalent units (teu) each. The US$372 million order for four of the mega-carriers comes from China Shipping Container Lines (CSCL), the country's No 2 carrier. The new ships will be about 35% bigger than the previous record holder for a Chinese shipyard. According to the South China Morning Post, the order works out at about 10% below market prices, which have been driven up in recent years by the booming Chinese export trade. A Hudong-Zhonghua spokesman said the company had given CSCL a better rate because it is an old customer. It is common practice for Chinese shipyards to heavily discount prices on new types of ship in order to develop skills and build global market share.
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