Mediterranean Shipping Co (MSC) has set a fresh benchmark price for a 19-year-old traditional panamax-sized boxship.

The liner operator is coughing up $50.5m to acquire the 4,992-teu Mexico (built 2002) from Israel’s XT Shipping.

It is paying the astronomical price as an alternative to taking vessels from a market where five-year charters are costing operators up to $70m.

The Mexico is one of several vessels acquired by MSC in the past fortnight.