On August 12, Wan Hai Lines announced a new round of shipbuilding investment, placing an order with Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding Co., Ltd. for a total of 8 container vessels, comprising seven 11,000 TEU units and one 9,200 TEU unit. This follows the company’s order for 6,000–9,200 TEU dual-fuel ready vessels in March this year, marking another step in expanding its green fleet.

According to the plan, the seven 11,000 TEU newbuilds will feature LNG and methanol dual-fuel ready designs, with each vessel estimated to cost between USD 118 million and USD 124 million. The single 9,200 TEU vessel will be methanol dual-fuel ready, with a unit price of approximately USD 102 million to USD 112 million. The total value of the entire order is expected to range from USD 928 million to USD 980 million.

These new vessels will be incorporated into Wan Hai’s long-term delivery schedule for 2027–2030, aligning with the company’s previously announced plan to take delivery of 42 new ships. Specifically, Wan Hai expects to receive a total of 42 new vessels between 2027 and 2030, comprising ten 6,000 TEU, twelve 8,700 TEU, one 9,200 TEU, seven 11,000 TEU, and twelve 16,000 TEU large vessels. Overall capacity will increase by approximately 475,000 TEU from 2026 onward, laying a solid foundation for the company’s medium- and long-term development.

In terms of existing fleet operations, Wan Hai has already taken delivery of two 7,000 TEU and three 8,700 TEU new vessels in 2026, which have been deployed on mid-to-long-haul routes. An additional 8,700 TEU new ship is scheduled for delivery in September. Meanwhile, the company plans to sell three older 5,600 TEU vessels in the fourth quarter to further optimize its fleet structure and enhance operational efficiency.

On the terminal front, Wan Hai will lease and operate the C9 Container Terminal at Osaka Port in Japan starting from September this year, adding another key operational hub in Japan after Tokyo’s Oi Wharf No. 5. This move will strengthen its Northeast Asian regional network, improve terminal resource integration capabilities, and enhance service competitiveness.

Alongside the major shipbuilding investment announcement, Wan Hai Lines also released its consolidated financial results for the second quarter and first half of 2026 on the same day, posting exceptionally strong performance.

Second-quarter figures:

- Consolidated revenue: approximately RMB 8.975 billion (NTD 42.9 billion), up 23.08% year-on-year;

- Net profit attributable to parent company after tax: approximately RMB 2.413 billion (NTD 11.535 billion), a staggering 971% year-on-year increase;

- Earnings per share (EPS): NT$4.11 (not currency-converted), up 51% quarter-on-quarter.

First-half cumulative figures:

- Consolidated revenue: approximately RMB 16.012 billion (NTD 76.541 billion), up 6% year-on-year;

- Pre-tax profit: approximately RMB 5.419 billion (NTD 25.902 billion), up 112% year-on-year;

- Net profit attributable to parent company after tax: approximately RMB 4.018 billion (NTD 19.206 billion), up 96% year-on-year;

- EPS: NT$6.84 (not currency-converted), significantly exceeding market expectations.

Looking ahead to the second half of the year, Wan Hai stated that despite continued disruptions in the Middle East affecting certain shipping lanes and pushing up fuel costs, the global container shipping supply-demand balance remains fundamentally sound. The Shanghai Containerized Freight Index (SCFI) continues to hover at elevated levels, with freight rates still well above the levels seen at the start of the year. The charter market remains active, with tight vessel supply across various sizes and no signs of easing in the vessel shortage. In addition, congestion at several major ports is causing delays in hinterland trucking and logistics, reducing vessel turnaround efficiency. With limited new capacity additions, the market supply-demand structure is relatively healthy.