OOCL orders ships for delivery up to 2008

OOCL orders ships for delivery up to 2008    Orient Overseas (International) Ltd., parent company of OOCL, has ordered containerships for delivery in 2007-2008.
   The order of four ships of 4,500-TEU from Korean shipyard Samsung Heavy Industries for delivery between the second quarter of 2007 and the first quarter of 2008 shows the current backlog of orders at Asian shipyards and the length of the wait to get new ships.
   Traditionally, shipowners have ordered vessels for delivery two or three years later.
   The Hong Kong-based shipowner will pay Samsung an average of $55 million for each ship.
   Meanwhile, Japan’s NYK Line confirmed it has ordered eight 8,100-TEU containerships for delivery in 2007 and 2008. The plan was first announced last December.
   In a separate announcement, Orient Overseas (International) Ltd. said it ordered two 4,250-TEU ships from China State Shipbuilding Corp. and Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding (Group) Co. Ltd. These are OOCL’s first vessel orders from Chinese shipyards. The two containerships, which will cost $54 million apiece, are to be delivered in late 2006 and early 2007.