COSCO Shipping Bulk and ICBC Financial Leasing have signed a project for four 210,000-dwt Newcastlemax bulk carriers at China State Shipbuilding Corporation’s Qingdao Beihai Shipbuilding in China, according to Dazhong Daily.
Qingdao Beihai and China Shipbuilding Trading signed the project with the two companies at a ceremony in Qingdao on 16 July.
The vessels will be 299.90 metres long, with a beam of 50 metres, a moulded depth of 26.30 metres and a structural draught of 18.50 metres.
Their designs include provisions for future conversion to methanol or ammonia propulsion. The ships will comply with the International Maritime Organization’s Tier III nitrogen oxide limits and phase three of the Energy Efficiency Design Index.
The deal adds to COSCO Shipping Bulk’s Newcastlemax newbuilding programme with provisions for lower-carbon fuels.
COSCO Shipping Bulk is the dry bulk shipping arm of state-owned China COSCO Shipping, a shipping and logistics group.
Founded in 1898, Qingdao Beihai is a directly controlled second-tier subsidiary of CSSC whose businesses include shipbuilding, shiprepair, offshore engineering and specialised marine equipment.
China Shipbuilding Trading is CSSC’s ship marketing and international business platform. CSSC is a centrally administered state-owned shipbuilding group.
ICBC Financial Leasing is a wholly owned subsidiary of Industrial and Commercial Bank of China providing leasing for ships, offshore equipment, aircraft and large industrial assets.