The Israeli container shipping company has announced the exercise of its option to long-term charter additional five 7,000TEU liquefied natural gas (LNG) dual-fuel container vessels from Seaspan Corporation.
The action is pursuant to a transaction previously announced by ZIM and Seaspan in July 2021, according to which the Haifa-based line already entered into long term charter agreements for ten 7,000TEU LNG vessels. The delivery of these boxships will start from the fourth quarter of 2023.
Therefore, the total vessels to be chartered under this transaction after the option exercise is 15. The value of this option for ZIM is in excess of US$750 million, according to a company’s statement.
“With this option exercise, we are securing ZIM’s core fleet needed to serve our operations and meet our customers’ growing needs, while continuing to maintain our operational agility,” said Eli Glickman, ZIM President & CEO, and went on to add, “this transaction demonstrates our deep commitment to the environment and to reducing our carbon footprint.”
