Eyal Ofer's Zodiac Maritime has secured long-term employment with a leading liner operator for the last of its neo-panamax containership newbuildings.

The UK-based shipowner has secured the business for four of its 14,952-teu vessels with Japanese liner operator Ocean Network Express (ONE).

The deal is believed to involve lengthy charters of up to seven years at rates likely to be in excess of $40,000 per day, according to broker estimates.