EVERGREEN CONSIDERS MOVE TO 8,000-TEU SHIPS

EVERGREEN CONSIDERS MOVE TO 8,000-TEU SHIPS    Taiwan’s Evergreen Line is considering taking between two and five 8,000-TEU containerships on charter, according to sources close to the company.
   If the charter contract is confirmed, Evergreen will join the fast-growing club of shipping lines due to operate vessels of 8,000-TEU capacity.
   The Taiwanese shipping line said that it is only looking at changes in its fleet, and would not comment on the potential contract for 8,000-TEU vessels. The 8,000-TEU vessels have already been ordered by the German non-operating owner Conti Reederei.
   The 7,400 to 8,100 TEU vessel size has become a common dimension for the largest containerships ordered by container shipping line and non-operating owners.
   In April, Hapag-Lloyd ordered three ships of about 8,000-TEU from Hyundai Merchant Marine, for delivery in 2005 and 2006. Last week, OOCL named its first 8,000-TEU-type vessel, the “OOCL Shenzhen.”
   Hapag-Lloyd, OOCL, P&O Nedlloyd, China Shipping, Mediterranean Shipping Co., CMA CGM, Maersk Sealand and the non-operating owners Conti Reederei, Seaspan, Nordcapital and Claus-Peter Offen have all ordered ships of 7,400-TEU or more, either directly, or under charter contracts. Some of the orders placed by the non-operating owners were for a charter contract with some of these container shipping lines.