Hong Kong-based ASL Shipping is making a sizeable jump in ship size with an order for two firm 5，300 teu containerships at CSSC Huangpu Wenchong Shipbuilding， with options for two more.

The vessels will be built to Huangpu Wenchong’s own series design， measuring 235 m long and 37.5 m wide with around 71，500 dwt. No price or delivery dates have been disclosed.

The deal takes the ASL interests well beyond the feeder tonnage on which regional carrier Asean Seas Line has built its fleet. The carrier’s website currently lists 14 containerships ranging from 1，096 teu to 1，930 teu， deployed across trades linking China with Japan， South Korea， Southeast Asia， India and Sri Lanka.

ASL is no stranger to the Guangzhou yard. Huangpu Wenchong previously built a pair of 1，900 teu vessels for Asean Seas Line， with the first， ASL Bauhinia， delivered in 2022 and sistership ASL Peony following in early 2023.

The relationship later expanded through CA Shipping， a joint venture between CSSC Shipping and ASL-linked ASL Navigation. Huangpu Wenchong delivered four 1，600 teu vessels to the venture during 2024， with the ships deployed in Asean Seas Line’s regional network.

A recent price marker for the Wenchong 5，300 teu design puts the ships at around $60m apiece. Taiwan’s TS Lines contracted four 5，300 teu units at Huangpu Wenchong last year for $61.28m each， although there is no indication yet of what ASL is paying for its ships.

Huangpu Wenchong has been rapidly building its presence in the midsize boxship segment. The CSSC yard signed 13 ships above 5，000 teu in a single batch in June， including three 5，300 teu vessels， and followed earlier this month with a 2+2 order for 6，400 teu ships from South Korea’s CK Line.