Saudi Arabian shipping group Bahri has confirmed LNG dual-fuel propulsion for two RoCon newbuildings ordered at China Merchants Jinling Shipyard, with options for two more vessels, according to Bahri.
The SAR 757m ($202m) contract was signed in September 2025, with delivery scheduled for 2029.
The vessels will offer increased container stacking capacity and greater flexibility for vehicles and other rolling cargo. Hoistable decks will allow the cargo configuration to be adjusted between voyages.
LNG-capable engines and energy-saving technologies are expected to improve efficiency by about 10% compared with Bahri’s existing fleet.
The ships will also be equipped with alternative marine power systems, allowing their engines to be switched off and shore-supplied electricity to be used during port calls. Bahri expects the arrangement to eliminate onboard emissions while the vessels are alongside.
Upgraded crew accommodation is included in the design. The pair forms part of Bahri’s 10-vessel newbuilding programme. At the end of March 2026, the orderbook also comprised six geared Ultramax bulk carriers due between 2028 and 2029 and two offshore support vessels scheduled for delivery in 2026.
Bahri, formally the National Shipping Company of Saudi Arabia, was founded in 1978 and is headquartered in Riyadh. Its operations cover crude oil, refined products, chemicals, dry bulk, breakbulk and integrated logistics. At the end of March 2026, it operated 107 vessels, including 104 owned ships and three vessels held under long-term leases, as well as three floating seawater desalination barges.
China Merchants Jinling Shipyard is a Chinese shipbuilding enterprise specialising in ro-ro and other technically complex commercial vessels.