Shipbuilding sources say the Danish company invited yards from Japan, South Korea and China to bid for the ice-class, 3,500-teu newbuildings but the Japanese and Korean companies are now out of the running, as the prices they submitted were too high.

Between five and six private and state-owned Chinese yards are now said to be vying for the order. They include Yangzijiang Shipbuilding, Zhejiang Ouhua Shipbuilding, Yangfan Group, Huangpu Wenchong Shipbuilding and Dalian Industry Corp (DSIC).

Maersk