Zhongjin learned that the French shipping giant CMA CGM Group has acquired two feeder container ships of about 1400 TEU each for a total price of approximately $40 million, further expanding its capacity layout in the second-hand market.

These two ships were acquired from the Dutch shipowner JR Shipping and are named "Escape" and "Espoir," built in 2011, with each vessel being sold for around $20 million. Both ships are designed in the "Sainty-type" style and are part of a set of four sister ships that JR Shipping acquired in a package deal from a bank at the end of 2018 for approximately $37 million. This transaction was facilitated by the Container Fleet Fund, a joint venture established by JR Shipping and a British investor.

Headquartered in Harlingen, the Netherlands, JR Shipping currently manages 16 feeder container ships. This year, the company has transitioned towards a "seller" role, selling a 2005-built, 750 TEU vessel named "CT Endeavor" to the German company USC Barnkrug for $6.5 million in March.

Simultaneously, JR Shipping is venturing into new business territories and has placed orders for the construction of two eco-friendly short-sea bulk carriers of 8500 deadweight tons each at the Chowgule Shipyard in India. These vessels will feature a diesel-electric hybrid propulsion system and are expected to be delivered in 2027 and 2028. This move signifies the company's re-entry into the dry bulk transportation market.

For CMA CGM, this transaction marks the acquisition of the 14th second-hand container ship this year, with a total investment in the second-hand ship market reaching approximately $450 million, making it the second most active buyer after the current leader, Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC). CMA CGM's consistent and frequent presence in the second-hand market demonstrates its strategic determination to steadily expand feeder shipping capacity and optimize its fleet structure.