Hapag-Lloyd is marking a milestone in the long and storied history of the carrier which is today the fifth largest in the container shipping segment. The company took delivery of a chartered vessel which becomes the 300th it is currently operating, making the fleet the largest in the history of the company which traces its origins to 1847.
“Today, we’re celebrating a significant milestone that will be making waves - quite literally! With the launch and delivery of the charter vessel Nordatlantic, Hapag-Lloyd AG now operates more ships than ever before,” the company wrote in a social media posting.
The 24,480 dwt vessel, which is under charter from Reederei NORD Group, is far from the largest in the fleet but it becomes number 300 with its sister ships, Nordbaltic and Nordpuma, to follow in service for Hapag-Lloyd. The vessels are being built by HuangPu Wenchong Shipbuilding Co., a division of China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC).
Each measures 564 feet (172 meters) with a capacity of 1,930 TEU including 313 FEU reefer containers. Hapag says they will be used to strengthen its intra-Asia feeder services and support its broader fleet upgrade.
“This milestone reflects not only the growth of our fleet but the dedication of our teams and the trust of our partners worldwide,” writes Hapag. “According to Hansa Online, Hapag-Lloyd’s capacity grew by an impressive 18.7 percent in 2024, reaching a total of 2.3 million TEU – a testament to our continued focus on connecting global trade.”
In its 2023 annual report, the company said it had 260 container vessels with a capacity of approximately 2 million TEU. It was up from 2020 when it reported 237 vessels and a shipping capacity of 1.7 million TEU.
