Japanese shipowner Soki Kisen has ordered two bulker newbuildings.
It has commissioned Japan’s Imabari Shipbuilding to construct an ultramax and a handysize. The owner, based in Imabari city in Ehime prefecture, has selected engines that will use conventional marine fuels for both vessels.
President Yosuke Kawakami told TradeWinds that Soki will take delivery of the 64,000-dwt ultramax in 2025 and the handysize in 2027.
The newbuildings form part of his company’s fleet renewal programme.
“We would like to order more new ships to replace some of our vessels, but the current shipbuilding price is too high,” he said.
Kawakami did not disclose the cost. Clarksons’ Shipping Intelligence Network weekly report shows the newbuilding price for an ultramax at $35m, while a handysize bulker is estimated to cost $30.75m.
There is a growing trend of Japanese private shipowners turning to yards in China for newbuildings due to price competitiveness.
But Soki Kisen has opted to stay in Japan. It picked Imabari Shipbuilding to build the new duo because it is “an old friend” and it wanted to support the domestic shipbuilding industry.
Soki has a fleet of 12 vessels: 10 handysize to post-panamax bulkers and two feeder container ships.
In March, it took delivery of the 40,656-dwt Twin Delight (built 2024) from Imabari Shipbuilding. The handysize bulker is chartered out to Greece’s DryDel Shipping for three years at an undisclosed rate.
Kawakami said Soki Kisen is in the process of selling two bulkers. However, he did not disclose their names.
At the TradeWinds Shipowners Forum Tokyo last week, he said companies like his in Japan would like to pursue maritime decarbonisation, but financial and human resources are challenges.
On the topic of vessels that use clean fuels, he said the company will follow what large players achieve and prove successful over the next four to five years.
“Until then, I shall take a wait-and-see attitude.”
