CSBC anticipates healthy sales increase

Many shippers are scrambling to order new ships to boost capacities as the global container shipping industry is poised for a boom by 2013, according to an industry insider. CSBC recently announced having landed big orders from Yangming, Wan Hai Lines and Chinese Maritime Transport, and will begin building 14 commercial vessels in 2011.

With a full order book, CSBC’s sales will continue to climb quarterly in the second half, and expects to see sales reach NT$14.9 billion, up 20% year-on-year. CSBC has begun building two 6,600 TEU container ships ordered by Yangming in the first half, with the works carried out at the company’s main facilities in Kaohsiung City, southern Taiwan, while construction of a 1,800 TEU container ship ordered by Wan Hai will start the end of this year in Keelung, northern Taiwan.

CSBC has also received orders for four 93,000 dwt coal-transporters from the state-run Taiwan Power Company (TPC), having begun building two TPC-ordered ships in the first half. In addition, CSBC will begin the construction of two 200,000 dwt bulk carriers ordered by Chinese Maritime Transport at its Kaohsiung plant sometime in 2011.