Cosco Shipping has handed China State Shipbuilding Corp (CSSC) an order for 87 vessels worth more than RMB50 billion (US$7.07 billion).
The deal, which was signed this week, covers the full spectrum of Cosco’s fleet: six 24 000 TEU mega-box ships, six 210 000 dwt VLOCs, three 307 000 dwt VLCCs, four 66 000 dwt Kamsarmax bulk carriers, nine 81 000 dwt Handymax bulk carriers, four 65 000 dwt grain carriers, eight 30 000 dwt multi-purpose heavy-lift vessels, 12 MR product tankers, 12 ro-pax ferries and 23 small container ships.
Work will be spread across CSSC’s top-tier yards – Jiangnan, Dalian Shipbuilding, Guangzhou Shipyard International, Wuchang, Qingdao Beihai and Chengxi – with deliveries starting in 2027 and running through 2030.
According to local Chinese media the orders are split across Cosco Shipping Lines (containers), Cosco Shipping Bulk, Cosco Shipping Energy, Cosco Shipping Development and Cosco Shipping Specialised Carriers.
Every ship in the series is specified with the latest green kit: LNG dual-fuel or methanol-ready propulsion, energy-saving devices and AI-driven ‘smart ship’ systems to keep the fleet ahead of IMO 2050 decarbonisation rules and the EU’s looming carbon border tax.
The deal adds to an existing Cosco newbuild spree. In October, the group confirmed a separate $1.75 billion programme for 29 vessels – 23 Kamsarmax bulkers and six VLCCs – and it has been purchasing additional Newcastlemax bulkers all year, cementing its position as China’s most aggressive investor in big bulk tonnage in 2025.
A CSSC spokesperson told Chinese media: “This cooperation is a milestone in the high-quality development of China's shipbuilding industry. It fully demonstrates the deep integration of green, low-carbon technologies with digital intelligence, which has become a crucial direction for industrial development.”
With this latest salvo, CSSC’s orderbook – already at 23% of the global total by dwt as at the end of 2024 – is set to grow further, Splash 25 reports.
