In tandem with the inauguration of the sixth container terminal of Kaohsiung Harbor, Yang Ming Marine Transport Corp. will build six to nine 12,600-TEUÂ container ships at a cost of over NT$20 billion, reported the chairman of the company.
The shipbuilding plan has been determined after the company has got hold of sources for sufficient shipment business, via the organization of the CKYH operating alliance with COSCO of China, KLINE of Japan, and Hanjin Shipping of South Korea. Yang Ming is talking with Taiwan Shipbuilding for building the mega ships, which will be able to dock at the two new wharfs of the sixth container terminal, invested and constructed by the company.
The project will be a major departure from the company`s policy in the past, which avoided building container ships with capacity larger than 10,000 TEUs, due to the concern over freight source. It will make Yang Ming the first Taiwanese shipper owning over 10,000-TEU container ships.