Greek shipowner Costamare is in advanced talks with China State Shipbuilding Corp over a possible order of up to 12 container vessels of 9,200 TEU, reports London's Riviera Maritime Media.

Sources said the deal remains under discussion and no final decision has been made on the number of ships. Costamare has not commented.

The company returned to the newbuilding market in mid-2025, ordering four 3,100 TEU vessels at a Chinese yard, later confirmed as Zhoushan Changhong. In November, it added two more ships to the orderbook.

Costamare has secured long-term employment for all six vessels, with charters of eight years each starting upon delivery through the first quarter of 2028.

The company's fleet currently stands at 69 container ships with a combined capacity of 520,000 TEU. Its Q3 results showed contracted revenues of US$2.6 billion, with an average remaining charter duration of 3.2 years. The fleet was 80 per cent fixed for 2026.