EVERGREEN IS FINALIZING ORDERS FOR 25 CONTAINERSHIPS

   The Evergreen group is finalizing orders for 5 containerships of 6,000-TEU capacity and 20 ships of 3,000-TEU.
    Chang Yung-fa, chairman of the expansionist Taiwanese group, said that he will sign the new ship orders imminently.
    The 6,000-TEU vessels, to be known as "K-type," will be built by the Mitsubishi shipyard, with deliveries due to start in 2002. The 3,000-TEU units, dubbed "S-type," will be built by Mitsubishi and by Evergreen’s own shipyard.
    Chang said that the Evergreen group would launch new services, but he declined to give details on their future trade route deployment.
    In a separate development, Evergreen said that it is currently discussing with the Taiwanese government changes in laws that would allow a merger of Evergreen Marine Corp. and Uniglory Marine Corp., its two Taiwan-based shipping line subsidiaries.
    The Evergreen group comprises Evergreen Marine Corp., Uniglory Marine Corp., Panama-based Evergreen International S.A., the privatized Italian shipping line Lloyd Triestino and other affiliates.