REPORT WARNS ABOUT MAERSK SEALAND’S SIX 7,600-TEU SHIP ORDER

REPORT WARNS ABOUT MAERSK SEALAND’S SIX 7,600-TEU SHIP ORDER    An undisclosed order for six 7,600-TEU ships by Maersk Sealand from the group’s Odense shipyard will affect the container shipping market, according to a report by investment analysts UBS Warburg.
   “New orders need to be watched carefully,” the report said, citing Maersk Sealand’s order for the six large vessels, due to be delivered at the end of this year and in 2003.
   “Although they were motivated by the desire to cover some of their own yards’ ear;y prompt positions, these orders will not give much comfort to the market,” UBS Warburg said.
   A spokesman for Maersk Sealand at the group’s headquarters in Copenhagen would not comment on the orders. Maersk Sealand would only confirm that it has four ships of about 6,600-TEU capacity on order.
   However, reports that the Danish mega-carrier has added another six large containerships has circulated in the industry since the beginning of the year.
   In a separate development, Maersk Sealand confirmed that the first of the 4-strong series of 6,600-TEU ships will be delivered at the end of next month. It is expected that the delivery of the first ship will be watched closed by the shipping and port industry. According to industry sources, the ships will be much larger than stated by Maersk Sealand.