Global Ship Lease (GSL) has bought seven post-panamax boxships that it will lease back to undisclosed liner operators for at least three years with optional two one-year extensions.

The Ian Webber-led owner of 43 boxships with an average age of 13.7 years has bought the 6,000-teu vessels with an average of about 20 years for $116m.

The vessels, which will expand GSL's fleet to 50 ships with a total capacity of 287,280 teu, are expected to make $95m in adjusted operating profit over the average firm period of 3.1