MOL adds 12 new post-Panamax ships to fleet

MOL adds 12 new post-Panamax ships to fleet    Mitsui O.S.K. Lines Ltd. has announced plans to upgrade its containership fleet with 12 new post-Panamax ships for delivery by 2008 and destined for deployment in the major east/west trades.
   Four 8,100-TEU ships have been placed on order with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. with delivery scheduled between 2007 and 2008. These ships will have a service speed of 25 knots. The 8,100-TEU ships will serve on MOL’s Asia/Europe routes. Another eight 6,350-TEU containerships will be built by Imabari Shipbuilding Co. Ltd. with four arriving in 2005, a further two in 2006 and the last two between 2007 and 2008. These ships will travel at a service speed of 25.5 knots.
   Once all the new ships are all delivered, MOL will have 25 post-Panamax containerships amongst a total of 77 containerships.