Following its July 2024 order for six 325,000 DWT Very Large Ore Carriers (VLOCs) from Hengli Heavy Industries, Singapore-based Winning International Group has placed an additional order for the same vessel type with Hengli Heavy Industries.
Winning International Group has placed an additional order with Hengli Heavy Industries for two 325,000 DWT methanol-ready VLOCs, with delivery expected in 2027 and 2028 respectively. To date, Winning International Group and Hengli Heavy Industries have signed contracts for eight 325,000 DWT methanol-ready VLOCs.
In late June 2024, Winning International Group and Hengli Heavy Industries initiated their first collaboration in shipbuilding, signing a contract for the construction of the first batch of six “WinningMax” methanol-ready VLOCs with a deadweight tonnage of 325,000 tons. This order marks Hengli Heavy Industries’ official entry into the VLOC construction sector, representing a significant milestone for the shipyard.
According to industry estimates at the time, the total construction cost for the first batch of six VLOCs was approximately $700 million, with delivery scheduled between 2026 and 2027. Based on this calculation, the total cost for eight vessels exceeds $900 million.
It is reported that the “WinningMax” ore carrier was pioneered by Winning International Group in collaboration with Shanghai Ship Research and Design Institute (SDARI). Designed in accordance with its green and environmentally friendly development strategy, the vessel addresses the specific requirements of the seaborne trade and end-to-end logistics chain for bauxite shipments from West Africa to China, aligning with the global trend toward energy conservation and carbon reduction.
With an overall length of 329.99 meters, a beam of 60 meters, a depth of 30.50 meters, a structural draft of 22 meters and a speed of 13.9 knots, the WinningMax ore carrier can meet the requirements of Phase III of the Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI).
Classed by China Classification Society (CCS) and Det Norske Veritas (DNV), the energy consumption of the WinningMax is expected to be reduced by almost 50% in terms of tonne-nautical mileage compared to the Capesize vessels in the Baltic Sea. It is also methanol-fueled and equipped with 12,000 cubic meters of methanol fuel storage tanks, which will make it possible to achieve zero-carbon operation on all voyages in the future by using green methanol.
Winning International Group is currently building a fleet of VLOCs dedicated to the ocean transport of Guinea’s bauxite and iron ore, while increasing its ongoing investment in a green fleet to achieve its core strategic goal of sustainable development.
With the addition of two new vessels ordered from Hengli Heavy Industries, Winning International Group has now placed orders for 10 WinningMax 325,000 DWT methanol-ready VLOCs with Chinese shipyards. The remaining two vessels are being constructed by Beihai Shipbuilding, a subsidiary of China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC), with the order signed on September 6, 2023.
Established in 2002 and headquartered in Singapore, Winning International Group is a comprehensive multinational conglomerate integrating shipowner operations, shipping management, maritime logistics, vessel management, mining development, and railway and port construction and operations.
As one of Singapore’s largest bulk carrier fleets and currently the world’s largest seaborne transporter of bauxite, Winning International Group currently operates approximately 100 vessels.