Wah Kwong Maritime Transport Holdings has returned to China’s New Dayang Shipbuilding for bulk carrier newbuildings.
The Hong Kong shipowning company has struck a deal with the state-owned shipyard for two ultramaxes.
Sumec Marine, which controls New Dayang, disclosed the contract.
Wah Kwong’s managing director Captain J F Zhou confirmed the order and said the newbuildings are part of the company’s fleet-replacement and expansion programme.
Pricing details have not been disclosed, but newbuilding brokers said Chinese shipyards such as New Dayang are seeking around $35m apiece for such vessels.
The ships 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.
New Dayang is scheduled to deliver the pair in the second half of 2027.
The last time Wah Kwong ordered newbuildings at New Dayang was in 2021 when it booked four ultramaxes at a reported $30m apiece. The company took delivery of the quartet last year.
Shipping sources said Wah Kwong sold the Chengxi-built 53,500-dwt Beijing Venture (built 2010) early this year as part of its fleet renewal programme.
S&P Maritime Portal shows the supramax bulk carrier was sold to a Chinese company, Fushun Ship Management, for $11m. The ship is renamed as New Unity.
Clarksons’ Shipping Intelligence Network lists Wah Kwong with an owned fleet of 23 vessels that includes two VLCCs, four aframax tankers, three capesize ships, three kamsarmax bulkers, along with a mix of supramaxes and ultramaxes.
Early this month, New Dayang secured an order for eight ultramax bulkers from Huaxia Financial Leasing.
The Chinese company ordered the series against charter contracts from Sumec Ocean Transportation — the shipping arm of Sumec Marine.
The contract was the first newbuilding deal between Huaxia and the shipyard.
New Dayang is scheduled to deliver two vessels in 2026 and six in 2027.
