BAL Container Line orders its first ships

Fast growing Chinese containership operator BAL Container Line has placed its first newbuild orders. Clarkson Research Services is reporting the Hong Kong-registered outfit has ordered two firm 14,000 teu vessels at Jiangnan Shipyard for delivery in 2025. The order comes with options for two more ships. No price has been revealed for the panamax newbuilds. Data from Alphaliner suggests the ships are in fact 14,700 teu in terms of capacity.

BAL is one of a host of new Chinese lines to have grown very rapidly during the pandemic. At the onset of covid, the carrier was outside the top 100 liner list, but today ranks 46th in Alphaliner’s rankings.