Wah Kwong Maritime Transport Holdings has returned to New Dayang Shipbuilding for more ultramax newbuildings.
The Hong Kong owner has contracted the Chinese shipyard to build two more 64,000-dwt bulkers, lifting its tally there to four, following the two ships it ordered in April.
Wah Kwong managing director Captain J F Zhou confirmed the latest order, which is part of the company’s fleet replacement and expansion programme.
He did not disclose the price, but shipbuilding brokers suggested that the ships would cost around $35m each.
The duo will be built using New Dayang’s in-house Crown 63-Plus ultramax design, which meets the International Maritime Organization’s Energy Efficiency Design Index Phase 3 standard.
Delivery is scheduled for the second half of 2027.
Clarksons’ Shipping Intelligence Network lists Wah Kwong with an owned fleet of 23 vessels that includes two VLCCs, four aframax tankers, three capesizes and three kamsarmaxes, along with a mix of supramaxes and ultramaxes.
It is also due to take delivery between 2027 and 2028 of four 175,000-cbm LNG carriers ordered at Dalian Shipbuilding Industry Co through Sea Jade, its joint venture with Chinese leasing company CSSC (Hong Kong) Shipping and China Gas Holdings.
Sea Jade has fixed out the quartet to China Gas Holdings subsidiary China City Gas for 20 years at rates ranging between $87,000 and $100,000 per month.
Wah Kwong holds a 45% shareholding in the four LNG carriers, while China Gas Holdings will hold 30% and CSSC Shipping 25%.
New Dayang is a state-owned shipyard and the shipbuilding arm of Sumec Marine — a subsidiary of China National Machinery Industry Corp. It has one large dry dock and one slipway.
The shipyard has built up an orderbook of about 90 newbuildings, of which around 80 are ultramax bulk carriers.
Companies that have ordered ultramaxes there include Turkey’s Ciner Denizcilik, Cido Shipping, Itochu, Kasuga Kaiun, Chinese leasing houses and U-Ming Marine.
