TAIWANESE container carrier TS Lines has ordered four mid-sized containerships for $245m in China, adding momentum to a surge in sub-6,000 teu newbuilding activity.

The Hong Kong-listed carrier announced it has ordered four 5,300 teu containerships with CSSC Huangpu Wenchong Shipbuilding. Each vessel is priced at $61.3m, with deliveries scheduled between June and December 2028.

The newbuildings will feature Huangpu Wenchong’s “super-eco” design and meet the International Maritime Organization’s Tier III requirements for NOx emissions.

TS Lines has a long-standing relationship with the Guangzhou-based yard. Lloyd’s List previously reported broker talk that the carrier has contracted for up to 10 conventional-fuel 5,000 teu boxships from the same yard, comprising five firm units for 2028 delivery and five options for 2028–2029.

The owner already has two 4,300 teu containerships on order at the Chinese yard for delivery in 2027.

In a statement, TS Lines said the fuel-efficient newbuildings will lower operating costs, reduce exposure to charter rate volatility, and help meet increasingly stringent environmental regulations, allowing it to capture market opportunities in the Asia-Pacific and other key regions.

The order comes amid a period of strong earnings. TS Lines projected net profit attributable to shareholders of between $180m and $200m during the first half of 2025, surging 220%–255% year on year, driven by higher average freight rates and charter income.

Market data suggests the order aligns with an industry-wide pivot toward mid-sized tonnage. The second quarter marked a rebound in sub-6,000 teu orders, after years in which investment was largely channelled into bigger ships, according to Lloyd’s List, more than 60 containerships were ordered last month, most in the 1,800 teu–4,500 teu range.