Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding Group of Shanghai may become the first mainland shipyard to build super-sized container vessels with a capacity of 8,500 20-ft equivalent units (teu).
The largest mainland container vessels so far have been less than 6,000 teu.
Hudong signed a preliminary agreement with China Shipping Group to deliver eight 8,500-teu vessels by 2008, according to Bloomberg, quoting a report from Oslo-based shipbroker Fearnleys.
However, a spokesman for Hudong said the deal had yet to be finalised.
'We've been in talks for quite a while and we're waiting for the firm order,' the spokesman said yesterday.
'We completed the research and development. We'll work on the project only after we get the order.'
It is estimated that a vessel of that size sells for about US$100 million.
