Samsung wins OOCL contract

The Hong Kong shipowner OOCL has ordered another five 4,500 teu containerships from Samsung Heavy Industries in a deal worth $331milion. The shipping company already has four 4,500 teu newbuildings on order at Samsung which were contracted in July 2006. Those ships are due for delivery in mid-to-late 2010. OOCL said these latest ships are due for delivery in 2009. OOCL is paying $66.2m for these latest ships, roughly the same as it paid for the 4,500-teu ships ordered nine months ago. OOCL?s existing containership orderbook includes a series of 8,063 teu boxships at Samsung as well as a pair of 4,250 teu vessels on order at China’s Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding.