krogragg

Category: Greater China

  • Jinhui returns to newbuild market with $99m ultramax trio

    Jinhui returns to newbuild market with $99m ultramax trio Jinhui Shipping and Transportation has booked three new ultramax bulk carriers at a Chinese yard, marking its latest step in a fleet renewal drive. The Oslo-listed owner has committed $99.15m at Jiangmen Nanyang Ship Engineering for 64,500 dwt vessels due for delivery in the first quarter…

  • Nanjing Tanker extends fleet renewal with Dalian brace

    Nanjing Tanker extends fleet renewal with Dalian brace China’s Nanjing Tanker has strengthened its newbuilding programme with an order for two LR1 panamax crude/product carriers. The Shanghai-listed owner, part of China Merchants Group, has contracted the 65,000 dwt units at Dalian Shipbuilding Industry Corporation. The deal is valued at around $137m, with delivery set for…

  • Geely floats world’s first methanol-hydrogen electric riverboat

    Geely floats world’s first methanol-hydrogen electric riverboat Chinese automotive giant Geely Holding has expanded its green drive into shipping with the launch of the Yuanchun 001, billed as the world’s first methanol-hydrogen electric multi-purpose riverboat. Unveiled in Hangzhou, the 64 teu vessel is the latest step in Geely’s two-decade push into methanol technology, marking the…

  • Coal trade faces rare back-to-back decline

    Coal trade faces rare back-to-back decline Global coal trade is forecast to shrink in 2025, the first drop since the covid-19 shock of 2020, with another fall expected in 2026. If confirmed, this would be the first consecutive two-year decline in seaborne coal trade in the 21st century, according to analysis by The Signal Group…

  • UNCTAD warns shipping is entering a period of fragile growth and mounting uncertainty

    UNCTAD warns shipping is entering a period of fragile growth and mounting uncertainty Global shipping is entering a period of fragile growth, rising costs and mounting uncertainty, according to The Review of Maritime Transport 2025 released yesterday by UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD). After firm growth last year, seaborne trade is expected to stall in…

  • Vogemann linked to six kamsarmaxes at Hengli Heavy

    Vogemann linked to six kamsarmaxes at Hengli Heavy German shipowner Vogemann has reportedly returned to China for another round of bulk carrier newbuildings, with reports linking the Hamburg-based company to a fresh series of kamsarmax orders at Hengli Heavy Industries in Dalian. Shipbroking and market sources suggest Vogemann has committed to six 82,000 dwt vessels…

  • COSCO pledges stable transpac coverage as US fee regime nears

    COSCO pledges stable transpac coverage as US fee regime nears With less than four weeks until the US hikes port fees for China-linked tonnage, COSCO, the world’s fourth largest containerline, has moved to reassure clients it will maintain a stable coverage on the transpacific.  COSCO conceded in a note to clients that the new fees…

  • Wah Kwong NatPower, Shandong Port to advance ship charging network

    Wah Kwong NatPower, Shandong Port to advance ship charging network Wah Kwong NatPower and Shandong Port Group (SPG) have signed a strategic memorandum of understanding to develop large-scale shore power and ship charging projects. The agreement begins with Qingdao Port International, one of the world’s most automated terminals, and will explore new business models for…

  • CY Shipping and BigLift double down on heavylift fleet expansion

    CY Shipping and BigLift double down on heavylift fleet expansion CY Shipping and BigLift Shipping are adding two more new heavylift vessels to their joint fleet, bringing the total to eight ships. The newbuilds are scheduled for delivery in the first and third quarters of 2028, respectively. As with the earlier vessels of the so-called…

  • Zhongxin Funeng seals boxship newbuild quartet

    Zhongxin Funeng seals boxship newbuild quartet China’s Anhui Zhongxin Funeng Shipping has placed an order for four containerships at Jiangsu Dayang Offshore Equipment. The deal coves newbuilds designed by the Marine Design and Research Institute of China (MARIC), a total nominal capacity of around 3,010 teu, including about 1,930 teu on deck and 1,080 in…

  • Minerva Marine firms up feeder options at Yangzijiang

    Minerva Marine firms up feeder options at Yangzijiang Minerva Marine has added two more feeder container ships to its orderbook at Yangzijiang Shipbuilding, lifting the total number of firm newbuildings in its programme to six. The Greece-based owner, led by Andreas Martinos, has now firmed up a second pair of 1,800 teu vessels at the…

  • Mexico pushes 50% tariff on China-built cars

    Mexico pushes 50% tariff on China-built cars Mexico is preparing to more than double tariffs on cars from China and several other Asian countries, with duties rising from 20% to 50% under a proposal sent to Congress by President Claudia Sheinbaum. The draft bill, expected to pass given the government’s majority, would take effect 30…

  • Wison New Energies, H2Carrier team up to develop green ammonia FPSO

    Wison New Energies, H2Carrier team up to develop green ammonia FPSO China’s Wison New Energies and Norwegian firm H2Carrier have launched a new initiative to deliver a 500MW green ammonia FPSO. In this collaboration, Wison is uniquely positioned to provide engineering and design, as well as construction and integration of the works for the Green…

  • Jinjiang Shipping in for up to four feeder newbuilds

    Jinjiang Shipping in for up to four feeder newbuilds Shanghai-listed Jinjiang Shipping has returned to the yards, lining up fresh feeder tonnage as it looks to strengthen its intra-Asia network. The Shanghai International Port Group-controlled carrier has committed to up to four 1,182 teu containerships, with two firm units and two options. Deliveries are expected…

  • Ciner charts return to boxships with China newbuilds

    Ciner charts return to boxships with China newbuilds Turkish industrial conglomerate Ciner Group is poised to re-enter the container shipping market with two 3,100 TEU vessels at China’s New Dayang Shipyard. Boxship newbuilding players estimate each ship at around $44m, with deliveries expected in late 2027. While the exact design details remain under wraps, sources…

  • HSBC warns COSCO and OOCL face $2.1bn hit from looming US port fees

    HSBC warns COSCO and OOCL face $2.1bn hit from looming US port fees The looming US port fee regime aimed squarely at Chinese-linked tonnage could saddle COSCO and its Hong Kong-listed subsidiary OOCL with a combined bill of more than $2.1bn in 2026, according to fresh calculations from HSBC. The US Trade Representative (USTR) is…

  • Ningbo Ocean Shipping looks to Singapore for global fleet expansion

    Ningbo Ocean Shipping looks to Singapore for global fleet expansion Ningbo Ocean Shipping has revealed a plan to invest around CNY2.9bn ($406.5m) via its Singapore arm to set up two more subsidiaries in the country to further grow its fleet. The company will invest CNY1.2bn ($168.2m) to establish Ningbo Ocean Shipping Singapore Longitude and CNY1.7bn…

  • Young Chinese carrier moves into ownership with boxship newbuilds

    Young Chinese carrier moves into ownership with boxship newbuilds China’s Chenxin Shipping has taken the plunge into vessel ownership with an order for four newbuild containerships, signalling the young carrier’s intent to shift from slot-sharing to controlling its own tonnage. The 2023-established company has contracted two 4,350 teu ships and two 1,900 teu feeders, with…

  • Jinhui continues supramax selloff

    Jinhui continues supramax selloff Oslo-listed Jinhui Shipping and Transportation has struck a deal to sell the 2008-built supramax bulker Jin Rong for $11.93m, continuing its clear-out of older tonnage. The 58,700 dwt vessel, built at Tsuneishi Cebu in the Philippines, is heading to Hong Kong-registered Liuliu Shun Shipping. The sale is slated to close by…

  • Interasia in for up to eight boxship newbuilds

    Interasia in for up to eight boxship newbuilds Asian regional container operator Interasia Lines has returned to the shipbuilding market, signing a contract with Jiangsu YangZiJiang Shipbuilding Group (YZJ) for up to eight 2,900 teu vessels. The order includes six firm newbuilds and two optional units, marking Interasia’s first collaboration with YZJ. Financial terms have…

  • Caravel and Celsius form LNG bunkering JV

    Caravel and Celsius form LNG bunkering JV The Caravel Group and Celsius Tankers have formed a joint venture to co-own and operate a new fleet of LNG bunkering vessels.  The joint venture has placed a firm order for two 20,000 cu m LNG bunker vessels at China Merchants Industry Holdings and China Merchants Heavy Industry…

  • Mibau Stema grows bulker fleet backed by Hartmann-CSL venture

    Mibau Stema grows bulker fleet backed by Hartmann-CSL venture Denmark-based Mibau Stema Group has signed up for two new self-unloading bulk carriers at Chengxi Shipyard in China. These newbuilds will be constructed to be biofuel- and methanol-ready as part of Mibau Stema’s strategic goal to enhance transport capabilities, increase operational versatility, and transition towards more…

  • Champion Tankers takes options on final two MR newbuilds in China

    Champion Tankers takes options on final two MR newbuilds in China Norway’s Champion Tankers has wrapped up its latest round of fleet renewal, declaring options for the final two ships in a series of MR tankers ordered at Penglai Jinglu Shipyard in China. The Bergen-based private company, led by Karl Lodrup Kvalheim, will now take…

  • OOCL admits upcoming US port fees will have ‘relatively large impact’

    OOCL admits upcoming US port fees will have ‘relatively large impact’ Orient Overseas (International) Ltd (OOIL), the listed entity of Hong Kong container line OOCL, has conceded that October’s likely introduction of extra port fees for Chinese-linked tonnage could be painful. OOCL, owned by China’s COSCO, posted its interims yesterday in which it noted in…

  • Seaspan grows newbuild pipeline with 12-ship deal in China

    Seaspan grows newbuild pipeline with 12-ship deal in China Seaspan Corporation has inked a fresh round of newbuilding orders in China, adding twelve 9,000 teu containerships to its fleet pipeline. The vessels will be built at Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding, part of China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC), with deliveries slated to begin in 2028. The deal is…

  • Meratus adds more feeders at Guangxi Shipbuilding

    Meratus adds more feeders at Guangxi Shipbuilding Indonesian shipowner and logistics group Meratus is expanding its fleet with feeder newbuildings at one of its go-to yards in China. The company has signed the newbuilds with CSSC Guangxi Shipbuilding and Offshore Engineering, a yard it has repeatedly tapped for similar tonnage. The new vessels are scheduled…

  • CK Hutchison ports sale unlikely to be concluded this year

    CK Hutchison ports sale unlikely to be concluded this year The big ports deal involving CK Hutchison has hit choppy waters. The Hong Kong-based conglomerate confirmed yesterday that its planned sale of 43 global ports for just shy of $23bn is unlikely to be completed this year as previously hoped. The deadline for exclusive talks…

  • Shipping navigates net-zero waters without US support

    Shipping navigates net-zero waters without US support The US decision to go public on its offensive against the International Maritime Organization’s proposed net-zero framework has created considerable debate within the shipping community.  Various ministers within the Donald Trump administration issued a joint statement this week branding the plan a “global carbon tax on Americans” and…

  • Property woes cast long shadow over China’s steel and iron ore demand

    Property woes cast long shadow over China’s steel and iron ore demand The fragile state of China’s real estate sector continues to weigh heavily on dry bulk fortunes. State-run developer China South City Holdings was ordered to liquidate by Hong Kong’s High Court yesterday, with debts nearing $8bn, making it the biggest Chinese builder by…

  • Transpacific bump in rates tipped as Trump delays China tariffs again

    Transpacific bump in rates tipped as Trump delays China tariffs again The US tariffs on China have been postponed another 90 days until November 10. The US will keep its tariffs at 30%, and China will maintain its levies at 10% through to the autumn as negotiations between the world’s two biggest economies continue. Commenting…

  • Eastern Pacific lines up feeder boxship series at Mawei Shipyard

    Eastern Pacific lines up feeder boxship series at Mawei Shipyard Singapore-based Eastern Pacific Shipping (EPS) has made another move into the feeder container market with a major newbuilding order at China’s Fujian Mawei Shipbuilding. Sources following EPS’ shipbuilding moves said the Idan Ofer-led owner has inked firm contracts for 12 vessels of 1,800 teu capacity,…

  • Splash Wrap: Flags, fines and fakes

    Splash Wrap: Flags, fines and fakes Sanctions, the shadow fleet, and the many ways authorities are trying to clamp down on this illicit trade kept Splash reporters busy all week, with clear evidence that the dark fleet is growing quicker than the West can contain.  The grey fleet – as tracked by broker BRS –…

  • Kmarin books newcastlemax newbuilds in China

    Kmarin books newcastlemax newbuilds in China South Korea’s Kukje Maritime Investment (Kmarin) has returned to the newbuilding market with an order for two newcastlemax bulk carriers, ending a seven-year absence from the shipyard orderbooks. The Seoul-based owner has contracted Jiangsu New Hantong Ship Heavy Industry to build the 210,000 dwt vessels. No price or delivery…

  • Jinhui continues ship sales with fifth deal of the year

    Jinhui continues ship sales with fifth deal of the year Chinese dry bulk player Jinhui Shipping and Transportation has agreed to sell yet another supramax bulker, marking its fifth vessel sale of the year. The Oslo- and Hong Kong-listed company is offloading the 2009-built 65,900 dwt Jin Jun to Singapore-incorporated Huwell Global Resources in a…

  • Polsteam books up to six handysize bulker newbuilds in China

    Polsteam books up to six handysize bulker newbuilds in China Polish Steamship Co (Polsteam) has moved to bolster its fleet with a fresh series of handysize bulk carriers ordered at Wuhu Weihai Shipbuilding in China. The state-owned operator has signed for four firm 45,000 dwt vessels, with options for two additional units. The first ship…

  • Schoeller in for boxship newbuild brace

    Schoeller in for boxship newbuild brace Schoeller Holdings has returned to China’s Huangpu Wenchong Shipbuilding with an order for a pair of 1,900 teu containerships. The Cyprus-based owner is paying between $31m and $32m per vessel, with deliveries scheduled for 2028. The deal continues a long-standing relationship between Schoeller and the Guangzhou-based yard, which has…

  • CMA CGM eyes Hutchison Ports as MSC deal falters

    CMA CGM eyes Hutchison Ports as MSC deal falters French shipping and logistics giant CMA CGM has confirmed it is eyeing the potential acquisition of terminals from CK Hutchison, after exclusive talks between the Hong Kong conglomerate and a consortium led by BlackRock expired over the weekend.  The preliminary deal, first announced in March, involved…

  • COSCO rolls out 14‑vessel shipbuilding push at domestic yards

    COSCO rolls out 14‑vessel shipbuilding push at domestic yards COSCO Shipping has launched a fresh newbuilding push which will see 14 ships constructed at domestic yards. COSCO Shipping Development, the financing arm of China’s state-controlled shipping giant, has commissioned a newbuilding package, including 10 newcastlemax bulk carriers and four asphalt carriers. Four 210,000 dwt newbuilds…

  • Hutchison eyes Chinese strategic partner to get $22.8bn ports deal over the line

    Hutchison eyes Chinese strategic partner to get $22.8bn ports deal over the line CK Hutchison, the Hong Kong-based conglomerate, confirmed on Monday that it is in discussions to bring a “major strategic investor” from China into the bidding consortium for its $22.8bn global ports business. The move follows the expiration of a 145-day exclusivity agreement…

  • CK Line books up to four feeder boxships at Yangzijiang

    CK Line books up to four feeder boxships at Yangzijiang South Korea’s CK Line has placed an order for up to four feeder containerships at China’s Yangzijiang Shipbuilding. The Seoul-based liner operator has booked two firm 1,100 teu newbuilds at around $23 per ship, with options secured for two more. The first two units are…

  • Sea Legend launches China–Europe Arctic container service

    Sea Legend launches China–Europe Arctic container service Niche Chinese liner Sea Legend Shipping is set to launch a direct container service between China and northern Europe via the Northern Sea Route (NSR). The new seasonal service, expected to begin in September, will offer an 18-day transit between East Asia and Europe—nearly halving the 30 to…

  • Jinhui continues fleet trim with another supramax sale

    Jinhui continues fleet trim with another supramax sale Chinese dry bulk player Jinhui Shipping and Transportation has agreed to sell another supramax bulker, marking its fourth vessel sale of the year. The Oslo- and Hong Kong-listed company is divesting the 2009-built 65,900 dwt Jin Ji to Hong Kong-incorporated Huwell Tanker Spring for $11m. Jinhui said…

  • NATO warns of surging state-linked cyber threats targeting ports

    NATO warns of surging state-linked cyber threats targeting ports Ports are facing a deluge of cyber attacks from state-backed hackers, according to a new policy brief from NATO’s Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence (CCDCOE). Handling 80% of world trade and underpinning NATO’s logistics chain, ports are now “magnets” for cyber aggression from Russia, Iran,…

  • BIMCO issues clause to tackle US fees on China-linked ships

    BIMCO issues clause to tackle US fees on China-linked ships The Documentary Committee of the world’s largest shipping association, BIMCO, has adopted a standard clause aimed at addressing contractual uncertainties that may arise from the US Trade Representative’s notice of actions to impose fees on Chinese-related ships calling US ports. A BIMCO subcommittee comprising legal…

  • MSC’s boxship binge rolls on with 10 more giants ordered across China

    MSC’s boxship binge rolls on with 10 more giants ordered across China Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) has once again underlined its seemingly insatiable appetite for new tonnage, declaring and placing orders for a further 10 ultra-large container vessels, its orderbook now larger than the extant fleet of Ocean Network Express (ONE), the world’s sixth largest…

  • Splash Wrap: Shipyards and geopolitics

    Splash Wrap: Shipyards and geopolitics Shipbuilding hogged the headlines at Splash this week with images of the White House and its occupant down considerably week-on-week. The East Asian shipbuilding tango – one of the persistent shipping news themes of 2025 – garnered the most column inches. A contraction in Chinese shipbuilding orders has been registered…

  • CSSC Shipping signs for newcastlemax newbuilds

    CSSC Shipping signs for newcastlemax newbuilds CSSC Shipping has moved to bolster its dry bulk portfolio with a pair of newcastlemax newbuilds. The Hong Kong-listed leasing arm of state-owned China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC) has struck a deal for the 210,400 dwt units with Qingdao Beihai Shipbuilding and China Shipbuilding Trading. Each vessel is priced…

  • Yang Ming books LNG-fuelled boxship series at Hanwha Ocean

    Yang Ming books LNG-fuelled boxship series at Hanwha Ocean Taiwanese shipping line Yang Ming Marine Transport has lined up a series of containership newbuilds at South Korean shipbuilder Hanwha Ocean, continuing its fleet renewal programme with a focus on dual-fuel technology. The company has booked seven LNG dual-fuel 15,500 teu vessels in a deal valued…

  • USTR threat hits Chinese shipyards as global orders slump

    USTR threat hits Chinese shipyards as global orders slump A contraction in Chinese shipbuilding orders has been registered in the first half of 2025, with Beijing’s once unassailable dominance increasingly under pressure from geopolitical tensions and a softening global market. According to new data from BIMCO, China’s share of newbuilding contracts dropped from 72% to…

  • Hainan Yuzhou Shipping books deck carrier newbuild

    Hainan Yuzhou Shipping books deck carrier newbuild Chinese shipowner Hainan Yuzhou International Shipping is expanding its fleet of specialised cargo carriers through a newbuilding deal at a domestic yard. The company has ordered a new 12,000 dwt heavylift deck carrier at Yihai Heavy Industry – a Yangzhou yard that has delivered various specialised ships for…

  • Chartworld eyes New Dayang boxships

    Chartworld eyes New Dayang boxships Greece’s Chartworld Shipping is returning to the newbuilding arena with plans to bolster its container fleet, reportedly lining up a deal for a quartet of 3,100 teu vessels at Chinese builder New Dayang. Athens-based shipbroking sources report that the Kollakis brothers-led diversified owner has signed a letter of intent covering…

  • Splash Wrap: Red Sea attacks lead coverage

    Splash Wrap: Red Sea attacks lead coverage The global shipping industry has been rocked by two deadly attacks this week in the Red Sea, with Yemen’s Houthi rebels launching their first campaign against merchant shipping of the year, sinking two bulk carriers, killing at least three seafarers, wounding others, and reportedly kidnapping crew. A new…

  • World’s largest coal port plots post-coal course as China slashes imports

    World’s largest coal port plots post-coal course as China slashes imports China is slashing coal imports dramatically, forcing the world’s largest coal export port to contemplate a future beyond the black fossil fuel.  This decline is largely driven, according to analysis by Greek broker Intermodal, by rising domestic coal output in China, elevated inventories, increased…

  • New maritime electrification alliance out to change zero-emission game

    New maritime electrification alliance out to change zero-emission game Four maritime associations have launched the Global Alliance for Maritime Electrification (GAME), a coalition of nonprofit organisations looking to accelerate the electrification of maritime transportation. The new alliance will initially focus on inland, nearshore, and commercial vessels and push for zero-emission solutions through coordinated research, policy…

  • Jinhui agrees third supramax sale

    Jinhui agrees third supramax sale Chinese bulker owner and operator Jinhui Shipping and Transportation has sealed its third supramax sale this year. The Oslo- and Hong Kong-listed company is offloading the 2009-built 65,900 dwt Jin Gang to Singapore’s Huwell Shipping for $10.8m. The Shanghai Shipyard-built unit should change hands by August 15, the operator of…

  • Splash Wrap: Trump leads headlines in a calmer week for shipping

    Splash Wrap: Trump leads headlines in a calmer week for shipping Compared to almost every other week of 2025, from a shipping news/geopolitical point of view this week has been comparatively calm. Nevertheless, the word Trump featured in more Splash headlines than any other word once again. The big news at the start of the…

  • TS Lines locks in up to 10 newbuilds at Huangpu Wenchong

    TS Lines locks in up to 10 newbuilds at Huangpu Wenchong Taiwan’s TS Lines has bolstered its newbuilding programme through a new deal with a Chinese shipyard, Huangpu Wenchong Shipbuilding The intra-Asia focused carrier has commissioned five firm and five optional 5,000 teu vessels, each priced at about $62.5m and scheduled for delivery in 2028,…

  • BHP signs charters with COSCO for ammonia-powered newcastlemax newbuilds

    BHP signs charters with COSCO for ammonia-powered newcastlemax newbuilds BHP has signed five-year charter contracts with COSCO Shipping Bulk for two ammonia dual-fuelled newcastlemax bulk carriers. The two 210,000 dwt vessels, expected to be delivered from 2028, will primarily transport iron ore from Western Australia to Northeast Asia. BHP vice president of maritime and supply…

  • MSC ramps up megamax expansion with $1.2bn shipbuilding deal in China

    MSC ramps up megamax expansion with $1.2bn shipbuilding deal in China Gianluigi Aponte’s Mediterranean Shipping Co (MSC) is pressing ahead with megamax containership fleet expansion through a new shipbuilding deal in China. The Swiss-based liner giant has ordered up to six 22,000 teu newbuilds from China Merchants Heavy Industries’ Haimen shipyard. Shipbuilding sources estimate each…

  • Seacon tackles shipping talent gap with electric training boxship order

    Seacon tackles shipping talent gap with electric training boxship order In a move to bridge the shipping talent gap and advance green maritime education, China’s Seacon Shipping has signed a contract with Fujian Mawei Shipbuilding for the construction of what is being hailed as the world’s first teaching electric containership. The 406 teu vessel, designed…

  • The week in shipping: Iran dominates the headlines

    The week in shipping: Iran dominates the headlines Starting today, Splash will be bringing readers a weekly wrap to digest the important shipping news of the past few days. This complements Daily Splash, our free newsletter published Monday through Friday, as well as Splash Extra, our monthly digest. Conflict with Iran dominated the headlines in…

  • Caravel Group sheds kamsarmax fleet

    Caravel Group sheds kamsarmax fleet Hong Kong conglomerate Caravel Group has sold two of its Chinese-built kamsarmax bulk carriers in a deal valued at about $41m. The Banga family’s dry bulk owner has let go of the 81,073 dwt Explorer Oceania and the 81,093 dwt Explorer Asia, with both ships built at Jiangsu Hantong in…

  • Pacific Basin signs methanol fuel deal with Towngas

    Pacific Basin signs methanol fuel deal with Towngas Hong Kong-based dry bulk shipping giant Pacific Basin has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with The Hong Kong and China Gas Company Limited (Towngas) to secure supplies of green methanol, as the company moves to meet tightening international emissions standards. The deal outlines plans for Towngas…

  • Shandong Marine signs for 10 VLOC newbuilds

    Shandong Marine signs for 10 VLOC newbuilds Shandong Marine Group has swelled its orderbook of very large ore carriers (VLOCs) at Qingdao Beihai Shipbuilding. The Chinese state-run shipping firm has contracted for ten 325,000 dwt guaibamax units to take its newbuilding series booked at the yard to 16 vessels. In December 2023, Shandong Marine signed…

  • Blystad signs for boxship newbuilds in China

    Blystad signs for boxship newbuilds in China Norwegian-based Blystad Group is set to expand its boxship exposure with three newbuildings from China. Brokers report that Arne Blystad’s investment firm has signed up for 3,000 teu vessels at Penglai Zhongbai Jinglu Ship Industry. The total value of the order stands at approximately $129m, with deliveries scheduled…

  • COSCO Shipping Specialized Carriers seals $310m deal for six heavylift ships

    COSCO Shipping Specialized Carriers seals $310m deal for six heavylift ships COSCO Shipping Specialized Carriers is bringing in six multipurpose heavylift vessels in a deal with Bank of Communications Financial Leasing (BoComm Leasing). The Shanghai-listed unit of COSCO Shipping Group, with a diversified fleet of more than 150 ships, has signed up for 60,000 dwt…

  • Historic surge on the transpacific buoys liner profits

    Historic surge on the transpacific buoys liner profits Drewry’s weekly World Container Index (WCI) increased 41% to $3,527 per feu yesterday, the second highest leap dollars-wise since the index was created, with the busy transpacific leading the way once again amid a brief trade detente between the world’s two largest economies, the US and China.…

  • Huarong Leasing signs for chemical tanker trio at Wuhu

    Huarong Leasing signs for chemical tanker trio at Wuhu China Huarong Financial Leasing has inked a newbuilding contract with Wuhu Shipyard for the construction of three diesel-electric chemical tankers. The 6,600 dwt vessels came with a price tag of RMB 133.25m each ($18.5m), with the first unit scheduled for delivery in November 2026 and the…

  • COSCO books chemical tanker at Wuchang

    COSCO books chemical tanker at Wuchang COSCO Shipping Energy Transportation (CSET) has expanded its tanker orderbook with a single chemical carrier newbuilding. The board of the listed oil and gas shipping business of COSCO Shipping Group has approved the construction a 9,200 dwt stainless steel unit at Wuchang Shipbuilding. The deal, worth about $25m is…

  • China United Lines reenters booming transpacific trades

    China United Lines reenters booming transpacific trades China United Lines (CUL) is making the most of the boom times suddenly being seen on the transpacific, with news from Linerlytica, a consultancy, that it reenter the tradelane with the launch of its Trans Pacific West Coast 1 (TP1) service calling at Shekou, Ningbo, Qingdao, Long Beach,…

  • Boxport congestion spreads from Europe to the US and China

    Boxport congestion spreads from Europe to the US and China Port congestion seen across key Northern European hubs is intensifying and is now spreading to China and the US, a situation expected to worsen as a result of Donald Trump’s on/off tariff strategy.  Compounding the situation, low water levels on the Rhine are limiting barge…

  • Hudong-Zhonghua commissions giant new shipbuilding facility north of Shanghai

    Hudong-Zhonghua commissions giant new shipbuilding facility north of Shanghai One of China’s top shipyards, Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding, has commissioned a giant new facility to boost its production of LNG carriers.  The new $2.5bn, 432 ha yard on Changxing Island north of Shanghai will boost the state-run company’s annual LNG carrier output from six to 10 vessels…

  • Shanghai port pollution in the spotlight

    Shanghai port pollution in the spotlight A new study by Scope3 emissions tracking specialist VesselBot reveals that greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions at major global ports continue to rise despite technological advancements and sustainability investments.  The report shows Shanghai port recorded the highest emissions (see chart below) at 140,000 tons, surpassing Singapore despite handling fewer vessels,…

  • Ningbo Ocean Shipping picks yard for 2,700 teu series

    Ningbo Ocean Shipping picks yard for 2,700 teu series Ningbo Ocean Shipping Co (NBOSCO) has selected a shipyard for its latest series of containership newbuildings. Huangpu Wenchong Shipbuilding has won a tender to build four 2,700 teu vessels for the Shanghai-listed subsidiary of Ningbo-Zhoushan Port Group, which earlier this year lined up $192m for fleet…

  • Cadeler buys Chinese-built wind turbine installation vessel

    Cadeler buys Chinese-built wind turbine installation vessel Copenhagen-headquartered offshore wind installation player Cadeler has bought a newly constructed jackup wind turbine installation vessel (WTIV) from Shanghai Boqiang Heavy Industry. The company acquired the 2024-built Boqiang 3060 vessel, set to be renamed Wind Keeper. The vessel is fitted with a Huisman main crane with a 2,200…

  • Shanghai Jinghan signs for chemical tanker newbuilds

    Shanghai Jinghan signs for chemical tanker newbuilds Shanghai Jinghan Shipping is expanding its fleet with up to two chemical tanker newbuildings at a domestic yard. The company, which says it operates and manages eight chemical tankers, has contracted Yangfan Group’s Zhoushan Dashenzhou Shipbuilding for one firm 7300 dwt duplex stainless steel unit and secured an…

  • MAN Energy Solutions reveals world’s most powerful methanol engine

    MAN Energy Solutions reveals world’s most powerful methanol engine Ship engine manufacturer MAN Energy Solutions has developed the world’s most powerful two-stroke methanol engine. The engine, rated at 82,440kW at 80rpm, is currently being built by Chinese licensee CSSC-MES Diesel. This will be the first engine of 12 bound for a series of a dozen…

  • Taizhou Hailian emerges behind Norden-bound MPP newbuilds

    Taizhou Hailian emerges behind Norden-bound MPP newbuilds China’s Taizhou Hailian Shipping has emerged behind multipurpose newbuildings that are backed by charters with Norden’s project cargo division. Splash reported last week that the Danish shipping giant would be adding two more 17,500 dwt MPPs as part of the four-ship newbuild move initiated earlier this year. The…

  • COSCO inks VLGC orders

    COSCO inks VLGC orders Chinese state-owned shipping giant COSCO has made a fresh newbuilding move in the gas carrier segment. Clarksons reports a subsidiary, COSCO Shipping Investment Dalian, has contracted two 88,000 cu m newbuilds at COSCO Heavy Industry Qidong Offshore, with delivery expected in September and December of 2027. No price has been revealed,…

  • CMB.TECH linked to tanker newbuilds in China

    CMB.TECH linked to tanker newbuilds in China Antwerp-based owner and operator CMB.TECH has been tied to a newbuilding deal in China for up to five tankers. The Saverys family-led group has reportedly returned to Qingdao Beihai Shipyard for one VLCC and two firm plus two optional suezmaxes. Brokers estimate the VLCC newbuild at around $135m,…

  • Newbuild prices edge down

    Newbuild prices edge down Latest data from Clarksons Research shows that after three bumper years of orders, the appetite for newbuilds among owners is weak, down 57% year-on-year, which has also seen newbuild prices finally edge down. Clarksons is reporting newbuild prices are down 1.2% from the start of 2025, though they are still historically…

  • Shanghai spot box rates to US west coast leap 31% in just one week

    Shanghai spot box rates to US west coast leap 31% in just one week Friday’s weekly publishing of spot rates from the Shanghai Shipping Exchange has given a stark picture of the frenzy building on the transpacific. Rates from China to the US west coast leapt 31% week-on-week, while rates to the east coast jumped…

  • China smashes car carrier size records twice in less than a month

    China smashes car carrier size records twice in less than a month China has broken the record for the world’s largest car carrier for the second time in under a month with the sailaway of the Anji Ansheng, a 9,500 ceu ship owned by SAIC Anji Logistics, a subsidiary of China’s giant car manufacturer SAIC.…

  • Liners confident of pushing through rate rises on surging transpacific business

    Liners confident of pushing through rate rises on surging transpacific business Liner executives are reporting a dramatic pick-up in box bookings between China and the US this week as a 90-day mini-reprieve in the tariff war between the world’s two largest economies gets underway. The busier liner bookings have yet to translate into an immediate…

  • Tariff truce tipped to usher in covid era uptick in box fortunes

    Tariff truce tipped to usher in covid era uptick in box fortunes The 90-day tariff ceasefire between the world’s top two economies could see covid era surges in shipments and box freight rates, one leading analyst has suggested.  The US and China have agreed to slash reciprocal tariffs by 115% for the next 90 days.…

  • US and China agree to slash tariffs

    US and China agree to slash tariffs In a significant curtailment of the trade war between the world’s two largest economies, the United States and China have agreed to considerably slash tariffs for the next 90 days. As part of the deal reached in Geneva over the weekend, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said both countries…

  • Master of Chinese boxship accused of severing Baltic gas pipeline appears in HK court

    Master of Chinese boxship accused of severing Baltic gas pipeline appears in HK court The master of the Newnew Polar Bear, a Hong Kong-flagged boxship, has been taken into custody in Hong Kong for damaging a gas pipeline in the Baltic Sea 19 months ago. Wan Wenguo, 43, appeared at a court in Hong Kong…

  • Jiangsu Ocean Shipping orders boxship quartet

    Jiangsu Ocean Shipping orders boxship quartet China’s Jiangsu Ocean Shipping (JOSCO) is expanding its containership fleet with four newbuilds contracted at compatriot yard Jiangsu Soho Chuangke Shipbuilding. The shipping arm of Jiangsu Port Group has booked a series of 3,000 teu vessels set to become the largest in its fleet. Jiangsu Ocean lists a fleet…

  • Allseas taps Wuchang Shipbuilding for offshore vessel duo

    Allseas taps Wuchang Shipbuilding for offshore vessel duo Swiss-based marine construction specialist Allseas has ordered two offshore construction vessels from Wuchang Shipbuilding Industry Group in China. The vessels are based on the SALT 308 OCV design, they feature advanced equipment and systems to deliver enhanced performance, flexibility, and functionality. Each vessel will measure 100 metres…

  • OOCL signs $3bn boxship order

    OOCL signs $3bn boxship order Hong Kong’s Orient Overseas Container Line (OOCL) is strengthening its fleet with 14 boxship newbuildings in China worth more than $3bn. The COSCO-controlled liner operator has contracted Dalian COSCO KHI Ship Engineering (DACKS) and Nantong COSCO KHI Ship Engineering (NACKS) to build 18,500 teu methanol dual-fuel series at $220m each.…

  • Seaspan books six containership newbuilds in China

    Seaspan books six containership newbuilds in China Seaspan has put pen to paper on more containership newbuilds at Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding (SWS) in China. The Bing Chen-led tonnage provider has booked six 10,000 teu vessels with delivery likely starting in 2028. No value has been revealed for the shipbuilding contract that was concluded in renminbi…

  • World’s largest car carrier sets sail from China

    World’s largest car carrier sets sail from China The world’s largest car carrier has left a yard in China on its maiden voyage to Brazil.  The 9,200 ceu BYD Shenzhen pips Höegh Autoliners’ Aurora class series by 100 cars in terms of capacity, and becomes the fourth vessel in Chinese auto manufacturer BYD’s growing fleet…

  • Taylor Maritime offloads 11 ships

    Taylor Maritime offloads 11 ships London-listed dry bulk outfit Taylor Maritime has aligned its business with anticipated trade turbulence and taken advantage of improved market sentiment to sell 11 ships for $172.5m. The Ed Buttery-led company said that one bulker had already been delivered to its new owner, with the remaining 10 exiting the fleet…

  • FMC classifies Chipolbrok as a controlled carrier

    FMC classifies Chipolbrok as a controlled carrier The Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) in the US has classified the Chinese-Polish Joint Stock Shipping Company (Chipolbrok) as a controlled carrier of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and is adding it to the commission’s controlled carrier list. The company, with 31 MPPs in its fleet, is jointly…

  • Seacon orders ultramax bulker at Tsuneishi Zhoushan

    Seacon orders ultramax bulker at Tsuneishi Zhoushan Hong Kong-listed Secon Shipping is growing its dry bulk fleet with an ultramax newbuilding at Tsuneishi Zhoushan Shipbuilding. The Qingdao-based owner and operator is paying $38.34m to see the Tsuneishi-controlled Chinese yard, in which Yangzijiang Shipbuilding also holds a 34% stake, deliver the 63,300 dwt vessel in April…

  • Scale of blank sailings dwarfs covid era as US-China trade dries up

    Scale of blank sailings dwarfs covid era as US-China trade dries up With trade between the world’s two largest economies effectively coming to a halt thanks to US president Donald Trump’s tariff war with China, containerlines are blanking sailings on a greater scale than was witnessed at the onset of the covid pandemic five years…

  • Beijing vents fury at US port fees

    Beijing vents fury at US port fees Shipping spent the weekend digesting the news from the US where watered down plans to charge China-linked ships extra for American port calls have created considerable outrage in Beijing and Hong Kong, while causing consternation for members of the Ocean Alliance, one of the big groupings in container…

  • US unveils much-anticipated port call fees

    US unveils much-anticipated port call fees The United States will impose fees on Chinese-built ships calling at American ports—regardless of ownership, in a ruling that the global shipping community has been waiting to hear about for months. The glimmer of good news for non-Chinese owners is that the final measure is less severe than the…

  • Trump’s tariffs crash world trade forecasts

    Trump’s tariffs crash world trade forecasts Many of shipping’s go-to bodies for trade forecasts are now slashing economic predictions for the year ahead in the wake of Donald Trump’s tariff war.  Creating significant alarm, the World Trade Organization (WTO) has warned global merchandise trade for 2025 could drop by as much as -1.5%, potentially becoming…

  • 54 ships abandoned so far this year

    54 ships abandoned so far this year The scourge of crew abandonment is proving very hard for global administrators to rein in. A total of 54 ships and their crews have been abandoned so far this year, according to data carried by the International Labour Organization (ILO), putting 2025 potentially on track to be the…