Hapag-Lloyd sends three boxships to ‘green’ shipbreakers

German shipping company Hapag-Lloyd informed that it has now completed the sale of three of its older container ships to shipyards in China and Turkey, which are specially equipped and certified for safe and environmentally sound recycling.

The “Deira”, the “Najran” and the “Sakaka”, of a capacity of 4,101 TEU each, were delivered to UASC from Japanese shipyards in 1997 and 1998. They have been part of the Hapag-Lloyd fleet since the merger at the end of May.

    “The ships are being taken from the market as they no longer fit with the portfolio of Hapag-Lloyd, which is now the fifth-largest liner shipping company in the world following the merger with UASC and has one of the youngest, most modern fleets in the industry,” the company said.

This step is in line with Hapag-Lloyd’s implementation of the internal Ship Recycling Policy, adopted in May 2014, whereby ships which are no longer needed must be recycled in a safe and environmentally friendly manner. In 2015, the company sold 16 of its fleet’s older units to this end.