Maersk orders 26 large container ships

Danish shipping group Maersk said Friday it had ordered 26 large container vessels as part of an ongoing fleet renewal.

The vessels are expected to be delivered in 2029 and 2030, the company told AFP in an email. Maersk did not disclose which shipyards would build them or the value of the contracts.

Maersk said each vessel would have capacity of 18,600 TEU, or 20-foot equivalent units, and would be equipped with dual-fuel engines able to operate on liquified gas.

In mid-August, Maersk raised its full-year earnings guidance after reporting that second-quarter profits had doubled, driven in particular by strong demand in Asia.

The company reported higher profits even as the Middle East war throttled tanker and cargo traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a key transit route for oil, gas and other industrial products.