Greek owner Evangelos Marinakis is lining up a series of containership newbuildings in South Korea worth nearly $1.6bn.
Shipbuilding sources in Greece report that Marinakis-led Capital Maritime has secured slots at HD Hyundai Mipo for 14 ships and six more at HD Hyundai Samho.
HD Mipo Dockyard is set to build six scrubber-fitted 1,800 teu boxships at $45m each and eight 2,800 teu vessels estimated at $55m per ship, with delivery expected in 2027.
The Samho shipyard has been earmarked for six 8,400 teu LNG dual-fuel newbuilds worth $140m each and slated for delivery from Ulsan in 2028.
Marinakis’ move on South Korean boxship newbuilding berths follows ten 8,400 teu LNG dual-fuel vessels contracted at China’s at New Times Shipbuilding last year, but more notably, the occurring pressure by the Trump administration on Chinese shipbuilding.
In his recent speech at the Capital Link Forum in New York, the owner, with a massive orderbook spread across China and South Korea covering multiple shipping sectors, voiced concerns over the future of Chinese-built tonnage.
He noted that the market is already seeing charterers trying to avoid ships built in China for their US trades and warned that if the trend continues, the industry could end up with a two-tier market, where the consumer would ultimately bear the cost.
Earlier this year, Marinakis also selected a South Korean yard for his latest VLCC newbuilding project after ordering six supertankers in China last year. Hanwha Ocean won the order for two 320,000 dwt vessels at close to $130m each for delivery in 2027.
