The falling container ship market has led some companies to trim their fleets by sending old vessels for scrapping.
But Lepta Shipping of Japan has bucked the trend, ordering a series of neo-panamax newbuildings in China.
Sources said Lepta, a joint venture between Nissen Kaiun — one of the largest privately owned shipping companies — and trading house Mitsui & Co, has returned to Singapore-listed Yangzijiang Shipbuilding.