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Explora Journeys has signed a letter of intent with Dutch builder Den Breejen Shipyard for a fleet of river cruise ships, the brand's first move into the river market. The agreement was announced on 25 September 2026, as the MSC Group brand said the new vessels will focus on Europe.
MSC-controlled Global Car Carriers has ordered eight more LNG dual-fuel car carriers in China, lifting its newbuilding programme to 20 ships worth more than $2bn. The 8,600 ceu PCTCs will be built at China Merchants' Weihai yard, Guangzhou Shipyard International and Fujian Mawei Shipbuilding, with deliveries scheduled between 2028 and 2030.
MSC Group is in discussions to acquire Meyer Werft, the Papenburg, Germany shipbuilder that builds vessels for MSC Cruises and other cruise lines. No valuation or timetable has been disclosed, and neither company has formally confirmed the negotiations. The possible deal would give MSC direct control of a yard central to its cruise newbuild programme.
Maersk has confirmed orders for 26 large containerships, each with 18,600 teu capacity and dual-fuel engines able to run on LNG. Deliveries are scheduled across 2029 and 2030, but the carrier has not named the shipyards or disclosed contract values. The 26 ships add 483,600 teu to Maersk’s orderbook.
Vietnam Ship Repair published a 2026 ranking of the five largest container shipping companies by capacity and fleet size. MSC tops the list with about 7.3 million TEU and about 1,000 ships, followed by Maersk, CMA CGM, COSCO Shipping and Hapag-Lloyd.