Chinese shipbuilder Hengli Heavy Industries announced that on October 27th, it had signed a contract with renowned Greek shipowner EFNAV to build six 82,000 DWT bulk carriers. This marks the first collaboration between the two parties and continues Hengli Heavy Industries’ strong momentum in securing orders.
The signing of this 82,000 DWT bulk carrier marks one of Hengli Heavy Industries’ primary vessel types, distinguished by its “green, eco-friendly, energy-efficient, and safe” characteristics. As a mainstream bulk carrier type in the ocean shipping market, it meets the most stringent emission requirements set by the International Maritime Organization, with all performance indicators reaching internationally advanced levels. Since last year, Hengli Heavy Industries has delivered multiple vessels of this type with high quality, earning unanimous praise from shipowners, classification societies and the market.
According to Greek shipbrokers, these newbuilds are scheduled for delivery in the second half of 2026, with each vessel priced at approximately $36 million to $38 million. The total value of the six-vessel order ranges from $216 million to $228 million.
As a prominent Greek ship management company, Efnav currently operates a fleet of 15 bulk carriers. This latest order marks the shipowner’s first return to the newbuild market since 2021.
In the past few months, Hengli Heavy Industries has signed dozens of new shipbuilding contracts with several well-known European shipowners. According to incomplete statistics, since September, Hengli Heavy Industries has successively announced new ship orders across major mainstream vessel types. Including the latest order, the company has secured a total of 37+4 vessels, comprising 13 VLCCs, 4+4 container ships, and 20 bulk carriers.
Specifically, 13 VLCCs are from Greece’s Dynacom (4 vessels), Norway’s Frontline (6 vessels) under John Fredriksen, Laskaridis (2 vessels), and Greece’s Capital (1 vessel); 4+4 container ships from Singapore’s East Pacific Shipping; 20 bulk carriers from Shandong Ocean Shipping (3 Type 2 vessels), Germany’s Reederei H Vogemann (6 vessels), Eastern Mediterranean/Seanergy (5 vessels), and Greece’s EFNAV (6 vessels).
Data shows that Hengli Heavy Industries currently ranks among the top global manufacturers of large ocean-going vessels in terms of both its existing order backlog and newly secured orders. The company has commenced construction on over 70 vessels, with production schedules already booked through 2029. According to Clarkson data, Hengli Heavy Industries entered the global top ten shipyards in 2024, ranking fourth with 56 vessels and 2.68 million CGT in new orders.
As a renowned ship management company in Greece, EFNAV enjoys an outstanding reputation and significant influence within the Greek shipping industry, recognized for its prudent management, excellent operational efficiency, and strict adherence to international safety and environmental standards. The signing of this new ship order once again demonstrates its full recognition of Hengli Heavy Industries’ efficiency and quality.
In recent years, Hengli Heavy Industries has actively expanded its presence in the Greek market, establishing strong cooperative relationships with several prominent Greek shipowners and successfully securing a series of shipbuilding contracts.
Through close collaboration with Greek shipowners, Hengli Heavy Industries has continuously enhanced its visibility and influence in the Greek market, further solidifying its position in the international shipbuilding sector and making greater contributions to shipping cooperation between China and Greece.