P&O Orders Two Containerships From Japanese Shipyard

P&O Containers has signed an agreement with Japanese Shipyard IHI to build what will reportedly be two of the world's largest containerships. The new ships will each have a capacity of 6,674 TEUs, greater than any container ship currently in service, and will be driven by one of the most powerful marine diesel engines ever built.

When the vessels are delivered in 1998, it is expected that they will join the Grand Alliance operation between Europe and the Far East. "The investment in ships of this size reflects not only the continuing growth of world trade and containerized cargo in particular, but also the benefits of scale coming from our membership of the Grand Alliance," said P&O Managing Director Robert Woods. "By utilizing ships with this capacity, we are able to manage our tonnage effectively, and together with our partners in the Grand Alliance, provide a service that will meet the demands of our customers in the future."