Rickmers Maritime will add 13 containerships by 2010

Rickmers Maritime said it has entered into conditional agreements to acquire 13 new containerships. 

The deal is expected to more than double the size of the Singapore-based company抯 fleet. The company went public last year with an initial fleet of 5 vessels and added five more through this month.

It will now buy:

Five 4,250 TEU vessels from Dalian Shipyard and will charter them to Mitsui O.S.K. Lines.

Four 4,250 TEU vessels from Jiangsu New Yangzijiang Shipbuilding and will charter them to Hanjin Shipping.

Four 13,100 TEU vessels from Hyundai Heavy Industries and will charter them to A.P. Moller-Maersk.

The company will pay $72 million for each of the MOL ships, expected to be delivered this year; $69 million for each of the Hanjin ships, expected to be delivered in 2009; and $177.5 million for two of the Maersk ships and $178.3 million for the other two, all of which are expected to be delivered in 2010.

The company said the deal is part of a strategy to expand its fleet and provide investors with stable income from long-term, fixed-rate charters.

The company said the deal also helps diversify its pool of charterers. In the past it had charters with Maersk, CMA CGM and Evergreen Group's Italia Marittima. 

Source: American Shipper