GERMAN charter shipowner Peter Diohle becomes the latest shipowner to get to order mega containerships, having signed a letter of intent (LOI) for eight 10,000-TEU vessels from China's Yangzijiang Shipbuilding.

The Diohle contract is the latest order announced in June as carriers strive to reduce operating costs on long haul trade lanes with ultra large containerships (ULCS), reported London's International Freighting Weekly.

Other carriers and shipowners that recently announced placing new megaship orders include New York-listed Seaspan, South Korea's Hanjin, Singapore's NOL and Hamburg-based Rickmers.

Seaspan announced a few weeks ago it had signed a contract with the same Chinese shipbuilder for seven 10,000-TEU and an option for 18 more in a US$2.5 billion contract.

Hanjin was reported earlier to have ordered five 13,000-TEU vessels at a total of $850 million from an undisclosed shipyard.

Also, NOL, the parent company of APL, signed LOIs for 12 new vessels worth more than $1.5 billion with Korean shipbuilders, comprising ten 14,000-TEU and two 9,200-TEU vessels.

German shipowner Rickmers has taken delivery of its final two 13,100-TEU vessels in an eight-ship order by the end of May for a long-term charter to Maersk Line.

Seeing the spree of megaship ordering, the maritime analyst Alphaliner warned: "Pressure to match the unit slot costs of competing carriers which already operate larger ships could soon force the remaining carriers to upgrade their fleets, leading to further rate competition as they strive to fill these ultra-large containerships."