CULines signed a contract with Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding on 16 September 2026 for two 14,000 TEU containerships, marking the Chinese carrier's first newbuilding order for vessels above 10,000 TEU. The order extends a series of fleet moves made earlier this year. CULines had chartered the 10,114 TEU EXPRESS BERLIN for its China–Middle East CGX service and placed an order for four 6,400 TEU containerships. The new 14,000 TEU vessels shift the carrier's approach from accessing large-ship capacity through charters to securing owned tonnage of that size for the long term. The expansion supports a wider network strategy. CULines has been building up its presence across Asia, India, the Middle East, the Red Sea, the Mediterranean and North Africa, and has worked to strengthen links between regional feeder services and longer-haul trunk routes. The 14,000 TEU newbuildings are expected to play a role in the carrier's next phase of development. With the new order, CULines' fleet now spans several size segments: smaller regional vessels, mid-sized ships above 6,000 TEU, chartered tonnage above 10,000 TEU, and owned newbuildings at 14,000 TEU. For a carrier that has grown rapidly as an independent Chinese operator, the move represents a shift in both fleet scale and strategic ambition.