Danish shipping giant AP Moller-Maersk is on the brink of inking orders for up to 10 additional methanol dual-fuel neo-panamax container ship newbuildings and has kicked off work with shipyards on a similar number of 2,500-teu boxships.

Brokers following the business said AP Moller-Maersk’s order for five firm methanol-fuelled vessels is “imminent” and could be announced this week.

Contracts on the container ships, which are understood to be 17,000-teu vessels — slightly larger than the 16,000-teu ships the owner opted for in its first round of orders — are expected to be accompanied by five optional slots.