Lepta Shipping of Japan, a joint venture between one of the largest privately owned shipping companies Nissen Kaiun, and trading house Mitsui & Co, has expanded its orderbook with kamsarmax bulk carrier newbuildings.
The Japanese tonnage provider has returned to its favourite Chinese shipyard - Yangzijiang Shipbuilding to order up to a dozen of 82,500-dwt bulk carriers.
Shipbuilding sources said Lepta has struck a deal with the Jiangsu-based shipyard for 10 firm kamsarmax bulk carriers. The newbuildings contract included option for two additional ships.
A Yangzijiang official confirmed Lepta’s kamsarmax newbuildings deal. The newbuilding price of the scrubber-fitted bulk carriers was not disclosed but several brokers said Lepta is paying close to $37m per ship. The bulk carriers will be classed by ClassNK.
Yangzijiang joint-venture shipyard Jiangsu Yangzi-Mitsui Shipbuilding (Yamic) will be constructing the kamsarmax bulkers. It is scheduled to deliver the newbuildings from early 2026.
The last time that Lepta ordered newbuildings at Yangzijiang was in December 2022 when it contracted the shipyard to build four 8,000-teu container ships.
The neo-panamax vessels will be powered by conventional fuel and fitted with high reefer plugs, and were reported to cost Lepta slightly less than $100m per ship.
The Japanese company has ordered the quartet against long-term charter contracts from an unnamed liner operator.
Clarkson’s Shipping Intelligence Network lists Lepta with 17 other newbuildings on order at shipyards.
Yamic is building six 66,000-dwt ultramax bulkers and seven 3,500-teu feeder ships while Japan’s Saiki Heavy Industry is constructing four 40,000-dwt handysize bulk carriers. These new ships will be delivered between this year and 2024.
Lepta is the fourth company to have ordered a large number of kamsarmax bulker newbuildings at Chinese shipyards, following Oldendorff Carriers, John Fredriksen-controlled Seatankers Management and Shandong Shipping.
Oldendorff booked up to nine vessels while Seatankers ordered up to eight ships and Shandong Shipping 12.
One newbuilding broker said shipping companies are vying for slots to build tankers, bulk carriers and container ships. Companies that have deep pockets are signing up for newbuildings in big numbers to book up “limited shipyard slots”.
