China's Sinotrans Container Lines (Sinolines) has ordered feeder containership newbuildings at two compatriot shipyards in moves that saw it strike a rare newbuilding deal with a private sector shipbuilder.

The shipping company, part of state-owned China Merchants Group, has contracted Singapore-listed Yangzijiang Shipbuilding to build two 2,400-teu vessels to be delivered in the third quarter of 2023, a shipping source close to the deal said.