Safe Bulkers has struck a deal to build a kamsarmax ship in Japan that brings its newbuilding tally to eight vessels.
The latest move by the New York-listed bulker owner will see it add an 82,000-dwt bulker to its fleet in the fourth quarter of 2026, which is fairly early in a shipbuilding market that has seen some yards book bulk carrier newbuildings for 2028 delivery.
“This latest newbuild order, with relatively prompt delivery compared to present slot availability, is part of our fleet renewal strategy and reflects our plans to own one of the most environmentally efficient dry bulk fleets in the market,” Safe Bulkers president Loukas Barmparis said.
The company provided no price tag for the ship and did not disclose the shipyard where it would be built.
A similar vessel under construction at Japan’s Oshima Shipbuilding has an estimated order price of $40m, according to valuation platform VesselsValue.
Safe Bulkers said the newbuilding will be constructed with advanced energy efficiency characteristics that will reduce fuel consumption.
The vessel will be built according to the Phase 3 requirements of the Energy Efficiency Design Index, an International Maritime Organization standard aimed at greenhouse gas reductions.
And it will comply with Tier III of the IMO’s standards for emissions of nitrogen oxides, or NOx.
Safe Bulkers already has nine vessels on the water built to these standards.
The Greek company, led by chief executive Polys Hajioannou, has seven other ships on its orderbook stretching out into 2027.
Safe Bulkers has an on-the-water fleet of 46 dry bulk vessels ranging in capacity from panamax to capesize.
