MSC storms back into boxship charter market

http://www.lloydslist.com/ll/news/msc-storms-back-into-boxship-charter-market/20017642641.htm;jsessionid=645CC99DD0A8E18313AA77BC68F4754B

MEDITERRANEAN Shipping Co has stormed back into the containership charter market with a slew of fixtures for post-panamax tonnage that should guarantee much lower costs than many if its competitors. Chairman Gianluigi Aponte is taking full advantage of the depressed market conditions to charter large boxships at record low rates.
Brokers have now confirmed that the Geneva-based company has chartered a series of 8,400 teu newbuildings for two years from German shipowner Norddeutsche Vermögensanlage, paying $10,000 a day for the first 12 months, and then $12,000 a day for the balance. Norddeutsche Vermögensanlage declined to comment.
In 2004, NYK fixed the Bellavia and Octavia at $37,750 per day, thought to be the most ever paid for that size ship and period, and then re-let the pair to China Shipping for 12 months at an even higher $45,000 per day.
MSC is chartering tonnage at a time when virtually every other line is off-hiring ships in an effort to reduce fleet size as demand shrinks.
A recent survey by Alphaliner found that only 1% of MSC’s fleet was idle, compared with the industry average of 9%.
MSC has also recently taken delivery of the MSC Daniela and MSC Danit, the world’s biggest with capacity of 14,000 teu.