HUNGARY, today sailing as BREMERHAVEN EXPRESS, is a large Post-Panamax containership built in the Philippines in 2015. Originally delivered as HANJIN HUNGARY, she was constructed by HHIC-Phil at Subic Bay as part of the Hanjin 9000-series design. Following the end of her Hanjin employment, she was renamed simply HUNGARY in October 2016, the identity under which she was recorded by PiraeuShips. In September 2023 she became BREMERHAVEN EXPRESS.
At almost exactly 300 metres in length and 48.2 metres in beam, the vessel has a gross tonnage of 94,684 GT and deadweight of 111,650 tonnes. Global Ship Lease currently gives her container capacity as 9,019 TEU, while the original Hanjin design figure was approximately 9,040 TEU.
Vessel Details
Current Name: BREMERHAVEN EXPRESS
Name at time of PiraeuShips recording: HUNGARY
Original Name: HANJIN HUNGARY
IMO: 9723253
Current MMSI: 636024776
Current Call Sign: 5LUF6
Former MMSI: 256767000
Former Call Sign: 9HA4001
Type: Container Ship / Post-Panamax
Design: Hanjin 9000
Current Flag: Liberia
Port of Registry: Monrovia
Former Flag: Malta
Former Port of Registry: Valletta
Built: 2015
Builder: HHIC-Phil Inc., Subic Bay, Philippines
Yard Number: PN-131 / P0131
Current Registered Owner: Ocean Jing Shipping Limited
Bareboat Charterer: Global Ship Lease 77 LLC
Technical / ISM Manager: Technomar Shipping Inc.
Commercial Manager: ConChart Commercial Inc.
Current Charterer: Hapag-Lloyd
Classification: DNV
Former Classification: American Bureau of Shipping
Length Overall: 299.98 m
Beam: approx. 48.2 m
Depth: 24.8 m
Summer Draught: 14.5 m
Gross Tonnage: 94,684 GT
Deadweight: 111,650 t
Container Capacity: 9,019 TEU current fleet figure
Original Design Capacity: approx. 9,040 TEU
Reefer Plugs: approx. 1,000
Service Speed: approx. 22 knots
Current Status: Active.
From HANJIN HUNGARY to HUNGARY
The vessel was completed at Subic Bay in November 2015 as HANJIN HUNGARY, initially flying the Maltese flag with MMSI 256767000 and call sign 9HA4001. Her keel had been laid in December 2014 and she was launched in July 2015.
In October 2016, the HANJIN prefix disappeared and the vessel became simply:
HANJIN HUNGARY → HUNGARY
She retained the Maltese registry and the same MMSI and call sign. The HUNGARY identity lasted for almost seven years.
Renamed BREMERHAVEN EXPRESS
In September 2023, IMO 9723253 was renamed BREMERHAVEN EXPRESS. Initially she continued under the Malta flag, retaining MMSI 256767000 and call sign 9HA4001.
A further major change followed after the vessel was included in a four-ship transaction involving BREMERHAVEN EXPRESS, CZECH, SYDNEY EXPRESS and ISTANBUL EXPRESS. Global Ship Lease contracted to acquire the four approximately 9,000-TEU vessels during the fourth quarter of 2024, with deliveries taking place during December 2024 and January 2025.
The ownership structure is slightly unusual. Current insurance documentation identifies Ocean Jing Shipping Limited as registered owner, while an SEC filing identifies Global Ship Lease 77 LLC as bareboat charterer. Global Ship Lease itself includes BREMERHAVEN EXPRESS among its operating fleet.
Greek Management
There is now also an interesting Greek connection in the vessel's current management structure.
Current 2026 records identify Technomar Shipping Inc. as technical and ISM manager and ConChart Commercial Inc. as commercial manager, both Greek shipping organisations.
The ship has also transferred to the Liberian flag, with her current identification now:
MMSI: 636024776
Call Sign: 5LUF6
Port of Registry: Monrovia.
Current Service – 2026
BREMERHAVEN EXPRESS remains fully active in 2026 and is currently chartered to Hapag-Lloyd. Global Ship Lease's latest fleet report lists her as a 9,019-TEU vessel, with the present Hapag-Lloyd employment extending at least into 2027 and options potentially carrying the charter considerably further.
Current schedules place the ship mainly in Hapag-Lloyd's Europe–East Coast South America trade, linking Northern Europe with ports including Rio de Janeiro, Santos, Buenos Aires, Montevideo, Navegantes and Paranaguá.
Piraeus Connection
The vessel forms part of the PiraeuShips archive under her former HUNGARY identity. Your original page dates from April 2018, when she was still a relatively new vessel flying the Maltese flag and carrying the same HUNGARY name she had adopted after the end of the HANJIN HUNGARY period.
The recording has gained considerably more historical value since then because the ship has subsequently changed name, flag, MMSI, call sign, class and ownership/management structure.
PiraeuShips Record
HUNGARY was recorded at Piraeus by PiraeuShips during the vessel's Maltese-flagged career following her original service as HANJIN HUNGARY. Built in the Philippines in 2015, the approximately 9,000-TEU containership retained the HUNGARY name until September 2023, when she was renamed BREMERHAVEN EXPRESS. Following further ownership and registry changes, she now sails under the Liberian flag, is managed by Greek shipping interests and remains active on Hapag-Lloyd liner services. The original PiraeuShips footage therefore preserves a distinct earlier identity in the continuing career of IMO 9723253.