Norway’s MPC Container Ships ASA (MPCC) has inked contracts with Taizhou Sanfu Ship Engineering in China for the construction of six 3,700-teu container vessels, scheduled for first delivery in the second half of 2028. Each vessel will be fixed on a 10-year time charter, with extension options, to a top-five liner company, according to MPCC.
The vessels are based on the newest design, which optimizes speed and fuel consumption for regional and feeder trades, while keeping enough flexibility to shift between trade lanes as markets evolve. They are also prepared for alternative fuels and advanced emissions-reduction technologies, allowing the vessels to adapt to tightening environmental rules over their lifetime, the company said.
The project carries a total investment of $292.5m. MPCC said the initial charter period is expected to generate approximately $479m in revenue and around $288m in EBITDA.
Financing will be split between equity and debt, which offers, as the company says, financial flexibility and a prudent capital structure.
Alongside the newbuilding order, MPCC has established a 50/50 joint venture with Uthalden. The JV will own two 4,500-teu newbuildings that are currently wholly owned by MPCC and will be on charter to a top-five liner company.
MPCC said the move will free up committed capital and optimize the company’s investment capacity, while allowing the majority of the purchase price of the vessels to be financed through moderate leverage.
In addition, MPCC confirmed it has agreed to sell the AS Clementina, a vessel approaching the 20-year class renewal in 2026, at a price of $24m. Handover is expected to take place after the expiry of the current charter, towards the end of the second quarter of 2026.
“2025 has proven to be a transformational year for MPCC,” said Constantin Baack, chief executive officer of MPCC.
Baack added: “With yet another newbuilding order against a long-term charter with a top-tier counterpart, we have in total 17 state-of-the-art newbuildings on order with deliveries from 2026 and onwards.
“These measures strengthen our strategic partnerships, enhance earnings visibility, and reinforce our commitment to long-term value creation. As a result, our contracted backlog now exceeds USD 2 billion, providing exceptional visibility and positioning MPCC for sustainable growth and resilience in the years ahead.
“I am also pleased that we have further advanced on additional portfolio and financing initiatives, including teaming up with Uthalden, a trusted partner we have successfully worked with in the past.”
