Evergreen, STX shipyard talks fail

Evergreen, STX shipyard talks fail    Talks between Evergreen and Korea’s STX shipyard for 12 vessels have reportedly fallen through, but the company is continuing with plans to order 20 ships from Korea’s Samsung and Taiwan’s CSBC.
   An article in the Japanese shipping newspaper Kaiji Press on Monday featured an exclusive interview with Evergreen Group Chairman Y.F. Chang, who said the company would soon sign an order for 10 8,000-TEU containerships from CSBC for delivery beginning in 2013.
   The company also has also ordered 10 ships from the Samsung Heavy Industries of South Korea.
   The article said negotiations with STX Offshore & Shipbuilding of South Korea for 12 units of the same type have failed and the company would seek to order 10 of the ships from another builder.
   Chang told the Japanese paper, “There is no need to hurry as we may be able to additionally order from Samsung and CSBC. Next year will be the time to make the order.”
   The paper also said that while Evergreen had initially planned to have each of four group companies in Taiwan, Italy, the United Kingdom and Singapore own and operate eight vessels, the company now plans to have three companies in Taiwan, the United Kingdom and Singapore own and operate 10 vessels each.