CMA CGM purchases new second-hand boxships

French shipping company CMA CGM was particularly active in sales and purchases in late January, buying four 1,900 TEU ice-class ships from Belgian owner Delphis, and a 2015-built sub-Panamax boxship from Greek owner Cape Shipping.

According to Alphaliner, the Delphis ships are the Delphis Bothnia, Delphis Finland, Delphis Gdansk and Delphis Riga. The sales prices were not disclosed, but according to VesselsValue, the ships have an average market value of around US$29 million each.

Delphis Bothnia, Delphis Finland, and Delphis Gdansk are currently chartered to COSCO Shipping Lines’ European arm, Diamond Line, and are now serving intra-Mediterranean trades. The ships will come off charter in mid-2025 and will then be handed to CMA CGM, now the third-largest liner operator.

Delphis Riga is currently chartered to X-Press Feeders and is also deployed in the Mediterranean. This ship is expected to come off charter in the third quarter of 2024.

CMA CGM, whose owned fleet now stands at 2.19 million TEUs, is also said to have purchased the 2015-built 2,190 TEU Cape Monterey, which the French carrier’s intra-Asia unit CNC Line had been chartering from Greek tonnage provider Cape Shipping since June 2023.

The sale is reportedly concluded for US$35 million. Given that Cape Shipping had commissioned Cape Monterey as a newbuilding for US$26 million, the company will reap a profit of US$9 million from the sale.

Alison Koo
Asia Correspondent

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