On April 22, China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC) announced that a construction contract for twelve 9,200 TEU container ships—signed by its wholly-owned subsidiary Dalian Shipbuilding Industry jointly with China Shipbuilding Trading and a prominent,unnamed shipowner—has recently entered into force. The total contract value is approximately $1.31 billion, with deliveries scheduled between 2028 and 2030.

CSSC stated that this project will fully leverage Dalian Shipbuilding's core strength in construction efficiency, accelerate product mix upgrades, and further solidify the company's track record and brand influence in the container ship segment. The vessel design represents a new generation of medium-sized container ships tailored to the latest global environmental standards and the industry's shift toward green energy.

Foreign media reports suggest the shipowner behind the order may be Costamare. In January this year, broker reports indicated the company was in discussions with the CSSC group for a potential series of up to twelve 9,200 TEU vessels.

Costamare is currently in an expansionary phase. Its existing newbuilding program includes ten 3,100 TEU ships ordered at Zhoushan Changhong International Shipyard, scheduled for delivery by the fourth quarter of 2028. Those vessels were secured with medium-to-long-term charters upon ordering.

The owner has also recently been linked to the acquisition of two secondhand 5,600 TEU vessels. Costamare currently operates a fleet of 69 containerships.

On a TEU-weighted basis, the fleet's remaining contract duration stood at 4.5 years in the fourth quarter of 2025, up from 3.2 years in the prior quarter. Contracted revenues also increased to $3.4 billion from $2.6 billion in the third quarter.

Exchange Rate Conversion Note: RMB 90 billion is approximately $13.1 billion, based on the central parity rate of 6.8674 as of April 24, 2026.