A previously unknown Turkish company has signed up for 12 new bulkers in China.
Shipbuilder Fujian Lixin Marine Engineering said Green Era Shipping has contracted six 4,300-dwt vessels and six 5,300-dwt units.
The deal was signed at China Maritime Equipment Expo 2024.
Green Era is based in Istanbul but does not show up on shipping databases.
The Ningde yard has not released financial details or information about propulsion choices. Delivery dates are not clear.
Fujian Lixin has built 36 ships and has eight in its orderbook, including a feeder container ship pair for Shanghai Hanhui and four deck cargo carriers for the account of Liwa Ship Building in Abu Dhabi, according to UK broker Clarksons.
In 2019, TradeWinds reported that the yard had sealed its first major newbuilding contract for a 22,500-dwt bulker with domestic owner Fujian Yonghang.
The vessel was due in 2021.
Before then, Fujian Lixin was listed as having built only one vessel: an 830-dwt tanker for Hangqi Shipping delivered in 2012.
The latest order at the yard is now suggesting a trend of new entrants in dry cargo shipping.
Last week, another start-up, the Chinese group Jiada New Energy, ordered a series of hybrid general cargo ships at domestic Huanghai Shipbuilding.
No price or delivery date was given for the 9,050-dwt vessels.
They will run on diesel and batteries for the Shenzhen company, which is not listed with any other vessels.
The newbuildings will be able to travel 180 nautical miles (333 km) in electric-only mode.
VesselsValue assesses the ships as worth $138m combined, or $13m to $14m each.
