Global Ship Lease Adds 2,800 TEU Containership
Global Ship Lease, a containership charter owner, announced that the Company has taken delivery of a 2005-built, 2,800 TEU containership, now named GSL Valerie.
Shortly after delivery, and as agreed at the time the Company contracted to purchase the vessel, GSL Valerie will commence charter employment with CMA CGM for a period of 12 months at a fixed rate of $9,000 per day. The Company’s fleet now comprises 19 vessels with a total capacity of 85,112 TEU.
Ian Webber, Chief Executive Officer of Global Ship Lease, commented, “The high-specification GSL Valerie is an excellent addition to the GSL fleet, expanding our exposure to a resurgent market for mid-sized and smaller containerships at significant discount to newbuild parity. The order book for mid-sized and smaller vessels remains modest, which, together with an idle fleet now below 1% and reasonable growth in demand in tradelanes serviced by this fleet segment, is increasing supply/demand tightness and thus driving up charter rates and asset values."
Ian added: "With our high-quality fleet, excellent operational track record, strong customer relationships, and solid balance sheet, Global Ship Lease is well positioned to create significant shareholder value in this improving market.”
Incorporated in the Marshall Islands, Global Ship Lease commenced operations in December 2007 with a business of owning and chartering out containerships under mainly long-term, fixed-rate charters to top tier container liner companies.
As of March 31, 2018, Global Ship Lease owned 18 vessels with a total capacity of 82,312 TEU and an average age, weighted by TEU capacity, of 13.3 years. All 18 vessels are fixed on time charters, 16 of which are with CMA CGM. The average remaining term of the charters at March 31, 2018 was 2.6 years or 2.9 years on a weighted basis.
