MSC revives mid-sized newbuild strategy with Yangzhou Guoyu order

Mediterranean Shipping Co is returning to the mid-sized containership segment after years of focusing almost exclusively on mega-tonnage, with a fresh newbuilding deal in China.

Market sources indicate the Geneva-based carrier has placed firm orders at Yangzhou Guoyu Shipyard for at least two conventionally fuelled vessels of around 5,000 teu. Some brokers suggest the agreement could extend to as many as five ships once options are exercised.

The first deliveries are expected in the second half of 2028, with additional units scheduled for late 2028 or early 2029.

While pricing has not been officially disclosed, brokers believe MSC may have secured the vessels for under $60m each. Analysts at Alphaliner note the order could involve relatively straightforward designs, featuring smaller main engines and limited refrigerated container capacity, helping keep costs in check.

The move marks a notable shift in MSC’s ordering pattern. The carrier currently controls the largest orderbook in the liner industry, with more than 2.1m teu on order—close to 30% of its existing fleet. Nearly all of its roughly 120 vessels on order are 10,000 teu and above, including a significant number of ultra-large ships exceeding 20,000 teu.

MSC’s last confirmed mid-sized newbuilding contracts date back to late 2021, when it ordered a series of 3,700 teu LNG-fuelled ships—contracts that market sources say may since have been quietly shelved. Prior to that, the company had not ordered vessels in the 5,000 teu range for more than two decades.

Even as newbuilding activity skewed larger, MSC has remained highly active in the secondhand market, acquiring a wide range of sub-10,000 teu ships over the past four years to strengthen regional and feeder services.

The Yangzhou Guoyu order signals a renewed effort to rebalance the fleet, adding modern mid-sized tonnage suited to trades where ultra-large vessels are operationally or commercially less effective.