HONG KONG's Orient Overseas (International) (OOIL), the parent company of Orient Overseas Container Line (OOCL), has placed an order for six 20,000-TEU ships from Korea's Samsung Heavy Industries for US$951.6 million.

OOIL is currently arranging a bank loan to fund 70 per cent of the costs of the newbuildings, with the remainder funded by its internal resources, a stock filing of the company said on April 1.