Offen Group eyes containership newbuilding return at GSI

Hamburg-based tonnage provider Offen Group is exploring a return to the containership newbuilding market after an absence of over ten years, Asia Shipping Media reported. The firm is currently engaged in negotiations with the CSSC-controlled Guangzhou Shipyard International regarding a potential order for two firm 7,000 TEU vessels, with an additional two units under option. While the project remains in the discussion phase, market sources indicate that delivery slots for these vessels have been pencilled in for 2030. Specific details regarding contract pricing and vessel propulsion systems have yet to be finalised or confirmed by the parties involved.

This potential investment represents a shift for the company, which has not commissioned new containership tonnage for more than a decade. The move is expected to modernise the firm's existing fleet, which currently includes post-panamax vessels that have been in service for over ten years. Offen maintains its position as Germany’s largest non-operating containership owner, with a managed fleet exceeding 40 ships. These assets, which range from panamax to super-post-panamax sizes, are currently deployed by major carriers including MSC and ONE. The fleet includes 8,084 TEU units built in 2005 and 2006, alongside 14,036 TEU vessels delivered between 2010 and 2011.

The proposed order aligns with the strategic direction established by the group several years ago. In 2019, the company sold its tanker management division, CPO Tankers, to Zeaborn to sharpen its focus on the ownership and management of post-panamax containerships. This strategic narrowing of scope has been a defining feature of the group's recent corporate history. The organisation, founded by Claus-Peter Offen in 1971, underwent a leadership transition in 2022 when Arnt Vespermann, the former head of Hamburg Süd, took over day-to-day management responsibilities. Guangzhou Shipyard International has maintained a robust commercial orderbook this year, primarily focused on tankers, car carriers, and ropaxes.