SOUTH Korea's STX Offshore & Shipbuilding has gained a further order for six 16,000-TEU ships from European shipping company, believed to be the result of the London-based Zodiac Marine upgrading an order from two years ago to ten 13,000-TEU ships.

    The order in October 2010 involved the upscaling of four containerships into 16,000 TEU at an estimated cost of US$1.6 billion to be built at STX's Jinhae yard to deliver third quarter 2014.

    The ultra-large containerships will be 399 metres in length, 54 metres abeam and 30 metres high - the second largest after Maersk and DSME's 18,000-TEUer and like them, boast of the same fuel-efficient technology.

    The deal is a good sign for future new orders of large containerships, said STX.

(source:http://www.shippingonline.cn/news/newsList.asp?classname=News)