Costamare’s “up to 12” Boxship talks put a fresh marker on Forward Supply
Costamare is being linked in shipbroking/market chatter to discussions in China for up to 12 newbuild container vessels around 9,200 TEU, a step up in size from the company’s recently disclosed 3,100 TEU newbuild series. Even if nothing is signed yet, the existence of these talks is a capacity signal: it adds another data point that mid-size tonnage providers are willing to add meaningful forward supply beyond the near-term routing noise.
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Costamare’s ~9,200 TEU talks in one read
Market reporting links Costamare to discussions with China State Shipbuilding Corp (CSSC) for a potential series of up to twelve container newbuildings around 9,200 TEU. The reporting emphasizes the order remains under discussion and the final number is not fixed.
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Scale
“Up to 12” ships at ~9,200 TEU each would be a visible mid-size capacity addition if it converts into signed contracts. -
Backdrop from company disclosures
Costamare has disclosed six 3,100 TEU newbuild orders with delivery expected in Q1 2028, with each vessel set to commence an 8-year charter on delivery. -
What’s not confirmed yet
Yard allocation, delivery window for the ~9,200 TEU ships, firm vs options structure, fuel/spec details, and whether employment is attached at signing.
This is a forward supply marker: if the discussions firm into contracts and delivery timing becomes visible, it adds meaningful later-decade availability in a mid-size boxship band.
| Signal item | What’s reported | Capacity math to watch | Commercial read-through |
|---|---|---|---|
| “Up to 12” newbuild discussions | Market sources indicate Costamare is in advanced discussions with China State Shipbuilding Corp (CSSC) for a potential series of up to 12 container vessels around 9,200 TEU, with the final count not decided and the deal still under discussion. | A 12-ship series at this size is not a “top-up” order; it’s a meaningful forward capacity addition if it converts into contracts. | Even unconfirmed talk can influence expectations for 2027–2029 availability once counterparties start penciling the tonnage into forward supply views. |
| Size step-up is the point | The reported 9,200 TEU size is a clear move up from Costamare’s disclosed 3,100 TEU newbuild series ordered in 2025. | Different size bands compete for different trades and charter demand; a step-up changes which “lane” of supply is being built. | This is a signal about where owners think the charter market will support larger mid-size ships, not just feeder demand. |
| Contrast with the “known” orderbook | Costamare has disclosed six 3,100 TEU newbuildings with deliveries running through Q1 2028, each set to start an 8-year charter upon delivery (per company reporting). | The disclosed series already pushes contracted supply into late-decade employment. A separate 9,200 TEU series would add a second, larger layer. | Investors and charterers will compare whether any 9,200 TEU program also comes pre-placed (chartered) or is a speculative build cycle. |
| Owner’s coverage / cashflow backdrop | Costamare has reported contracted revenues around $2.6bn and indicated its containership fleet was ~80% fixed for 2026 (TEU basis) in its disclosures. | High forward cover can make new ordering easier to underwrite because cashflow visibility improves financing flexibility. | The “order talk” matters more when it comes from an owner that is already heavily contracted, not one chasing spot exposure. |
| Yard-slot / build pipeline signal | The discussions are described as involving CSSC (a major Chinese shipbuilding group). Specific yard allocation and delivery windows were not confirmed in the reporting. | When large groups are referenced, the quiet question is slot timing: how quickly could a series be absorbed into already-busy berth plans? | Forward charter pricing often reacts to perceived slot tightness (or looseness) as much as it reacts to current spot conditions. |
| What changes for the market (if it firms) | If contracts are signed, the series would add identifiable mid-size capacity to the global forward orderbook and become another reference point for “how much is coming” in that band. | The impact is slower than a routing shock, but material: it changes the baseline that forward rate expectations and asset values are built on. | This is the kind of supply signal that shows up later in charter duration negotiations and “availability assumptions” in forward fixtures. |
Market reporting links Costamare to discussions with CSSC for a potential series of up to 12 container newbuildings around 9,200 TEU, with the key caveat that the order remains under discussion and is not confirmed.
Talked-about scope
Up to 12 ships • ~9,200 TEU
A single series at this size becomes a visible late-decade supply data point if it firms into contracts.
Status tone
Reported as “under discussion”
Treat as confirmation-watch until yard allocation, delivery timing, or a contract disclosure appears.
Company disclosed backdrop
6 × 3,100 TEU newbuilds (Q1 2028)
Costamare has disclosed six 3,100 TEU newbuild orders, each set to start an 8-year charter on delivery.
What turns this into a tradable supply datapoint
- Delivery window (slot timing becomes the real headline).
- Firm vs options (and when options must be exercised).
- Spec and compliance choices (fuel-ready notes and efficiency package cues).
- Employment attachment (pre-placed charters vs open delivery).
Tool: forward supply quick estimator
Use this to translate ship-count headlines into quick capacity math and simple phasing.
Newbuild Series Capacity Estimator