Tailwind Shipping Lines, the container shipping arm of Germany’s Schwarz Group, has confirmed the acquisition of five 8,400 teu LNG dual-fuel newbuilding vessels originally ordered by fellow German owner Peter Döhle Schiffahrt. The deal marks Tailwind’s first foray into owning newbuilds and underscores its transition from a stopgap logistics solution to a permanent player in the global container market. Alphaliner says each vessel is costing around $120m.

The ships, to be constructed at Guangzhou Shipyard International (GSI)—a subsidiary of the CSSC Group—are scheduled for delivery across 2027 and 2028. Tailwind, a sister company to German retail giant Lidl, plans to deploy the vessels on its flagship Asia–Mediterranean Panda Express service, which has gained traction for its operational independence and use of less congested, secondary ports.

Tailwind was launched in 2022 in the wake of unprecedented logistics disruptions brought about by the covid pandemic. It currently operates a fleet of nine vessels – seven chartered and two owned – ranging in size from 1,380 to 6,881 teu, according to data from Alphaliner.