Containers Ships For Sales

Container Ships for Sale - Complete Buyer's Guide

Your Premier Source for Quality Used Container Vessels Worldwide

Welcome to your comprehensive guide for purchasing used container ships. Whether you're an established liner operator expanding your fleet, a regional carrier seeking reliable tonnage, or a charter operator entering the container market, we offer an extensive selection of quality pre-owned container vessels ranging from 100 TEU feeder ships to 24,000 TEU mega-container carriers. Our inventory encompasses all major container ship categories, ages, and specifications to meet diverse route requirements and operational strategies across global container trades.

Understanding the Container Ship Market

The used container ship market presents exceptional opportunities for buyers seeking proven vessels with documented operational histories at competitive valuations. Unlike newbuildings requiring 24-36 months for delivery, used container ships offer immediate availability, enabling you to capture market opportunities, fulfill charter commitments, or launch new services without delay. Our portfolio includes vessels from the world's premier shipyards in Japan, South Korea, China, and Europe, ensuring build quality, fuel efficiency, and strong residual values.

Complete Range of Container Ship Sizes Available

Small Feeder Container Ships (100 - 500 TEU)

Serve short-sea routes, island connections, and river trades. Drafts of 4-6 meters and onboard cranes for cargo handling independence.

Feeder Container Ships (500 - 1,000 TEU)

Backbone of regional container distribution. Drafts 6-8 meters. Most are geared vessels with 2-4 cranes (40-45 ton capacity).

Small Feeder / Regional Container Ships (1,000 - 1,500 TEU)

Bridge feeder and regional mainline services. Geared and gear-less options available. Flexible for mixed port infrastructure.

Feedermax Container Ships (1,500 - 2,500 TEU)

Upper tier feeder tonnage. Drafts 9-11 meters. Serves intra-regional and regional mainline routes. Geared and non-geared vessels available.

Handy Container Ships (2,500 - 3,500 TEU)

Secondary mainline routes. Gear-less design optimized for fuel efficiency. Drafts 10-12 meters.

Sub-Panamax Container Ships (3,000 - 5,000 TEU)

Originally Panama Canal transit (pre-expansion). Beam ~32.2 meters. Serve regional mainlines and specialized services.

Panamax Container Ships (5,000 - 7,000 TEU)

Maximum size for original Panama Canal dimensions. Beam ~32.2 meters, drafts 12-13 meters. Serve trans-Pacific and cross-regional trades.

Post-Panamax Container Ships (7,000 - 10,000 TEU)

Too wide for original Panama Canal locks. Beams 40-45 meters. Major East-West routes before cascading to secondary trades.

New Panamax / Neo-Panamax Container Ships (10,000 - 14,500 TEU)

Designed for expanded Panama Canal locks. Beam ~49 meters, draft 15.2 meters. Serve trans-Pacific and North-South trades with fuel efficiency.

Ultra-Large Container Ships - ULCV (14,000 - 24,000+ TEU)

• 14,000-16,000 TEU: Intermediate large ships, good port accessibility.
• 18,000-20,000 TEU: Ultra-large vessels, specialized deep-water terminals required.
• 21,000-24,000+ TEU: Mega-ships operating mainly Asia-Europe via Suez Canal. Require largest terminals and infrastructure.

Geared vs. Non-Geared Container Ships

Geared Container Vessels

• Onboard cranes provide cargo handling independence.
• Port Flexibility: Operate at terminals without shore cranes.
• Charter Premium: 15-30% higher rates than gear-less vessels.
• Typical Sizes: 100-3,000 TEU. Beyond 3,000 TEU, gearing becomes impractical.

Gear-Less Container Vessels

• Eliminate onboard cranes for maximum capacity and fuel efficiency.
• Require shore-based cranes.
• Dominant for vessels above 3,000 TEU and mainline services.

Critical Factors When Buying Used Container Ships

Age and Vessel Condition

• Modern (0-5 yrs): Premium price, superior fuel efficiency, minimal maintenance.
• Mid-age (5-12 yrs): Good value, strong charter acceptance.
• Older (12-18 yrs): Attractive pricing, requires technical assessment.

Special Survey and Drydocking Status (SS/DD)

Fresh-from-drydock vessels command 18-28% premium. Discounts apply for upcoming surveys:

• Feeder vessels (500-1,500 TEU): $0.6-1.2M
• Regional ships (1,500-3,000 TEU): $1-1.8M
• Sub-Panamax (3,000-5,000 TEU): $1.5-2.5M
• Panamax (5,000-7,000 TEU): $2-3M
• Post-Panamax (7,000-10,000 TEU): $2.5-4M
• New Panamax (10,000-14,000 TEU): $3.5-5.5M
• ULCV (14,000+ TEU): $5-8M

Draft and Port Accessibility

• Shallow Draft (<8m): Feeder vessels, river ports.
• Medium Draft (8-12m): Regional and Sub-Panamax vessels.
• Standard Draft (12-14m): Panamax and Post-Panamax.
• Deep Draft (14-16m): New Panamax and ULCV.

Shipyard Provenance and Build Quality

• Japanese: Premium construction, long-term reliability (Imabari, Tsuneishi, JMU, Mitsubishi, Kawasaki).
• Korean: Advanced designs, strong resale, high acceptance globally (Hyundai, Samsung, DSME, Samho).
• Chinese: Varies by yard (CSSC, COSCO, Yangzijiang, Hudong-Zhonghua).
• European: Specialized or smaller vessels (Meyer Werft, Fincantieri).

Speed and Fuel Consumption

• Design speed: 20-25 knots. Slow steaming (16-20 knots) improves fuel economy.
• Feeder: 15-25 tons/day
• Sub-Panamax: 40-60 tons/day
• Panamax: 60-80 tons/day
• Post-Panamax: 100-140 tons/day
• New Panamax: 140-180 tons/day
• ULCV: 200-280 tons/day

Reefer Capacity and Cargo Flexibility

• High Reefer: 20-30% of slots
• Standard Reefer: 10-15%
• Low Reefer: <10%

IMO Compliance and Environmental Regulations

• BWTS: Mandatory ballast water treatment systems.
• EEDI/EEXI: Energy efficiency compliance.
• IMO 2020: Low-sulfur fuel or scrubbers.
• CII ratings: Efficiency grades A-E.
• Upcoming GHG regulations.

Pricing Dynamics in the Used Container Ship Market

• Small Feeders (300-700 TEU): $2-5M
• Feeders (700-1,500 TEU): $4-10M
• Feedermax (1,500-2,500 TEU): $8-16M
• Handy (2,500-3,500 TEU): $12-20M
• Sub-Panamax (4,000-5,000 TEU): $15-28M
• Panamax (5,000-7,000 TEU): $18-35M
• Post-Panamax (8,000-10,000 TEU): $25-45M
• New Panamax (10,000-13,000 TEU): $40-70M
• ULCV (14,000-20,000 TEU): $60-120M

Why Choose Our Container Ship Brokerage Services

We maintain the industry's most comprehensive database of used container ships, continuously updated. Our brokers provide technical assessments, inspections, negotiations, and guidance through documentation and delivery. Whether acquiring a single feeder vessel or a diversified fleet, our global network ensures access to the best opportunities.

Ready to explore our current container ship inventory? Contact our specialized container brokers today for personalized guidance and exclusive listings tailored to your operational requirements and investment objectives.