Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) has shown no sign of slowing down its rapid fleet growth, linked this week to the acquisition of another four ships.

Brokers are reporting the Swiss-headquartered company has acquired the 2014-built 4,896 TEU X-press Jersey and 2015-built 5,001 TEU X-press Guernsey for a total of around $210m from Singapore's Sea Consortium. Alphaliner says the deal is a new record price tag for ships of this size and age.

Additionally, MSC is also being linked to the acquisition of Lomar Shipping’s 2007-built 6,039 TEU pair Los Angeles Trader and Long Beach Trader. The vessels have been reported by Clarksons as sold to MSC for an undisclosed price. Alphaliner estimates the price to be in the high-$60m range.

MSC has now added around 124 secondhand boxships since it started its buying spree in the second half of 2020.

Alphaliner now lists MSC with an owned fleet of 243 vessels, with a further 382 chartered in and 60 on order. The line is now poised to overtake Maersk as the world’s largest container line.