China’s largest private shipbuilder, Yangzijiang Shipbuilding, secured orders for two types of vessels totaling 6+6 ships within two days. The orders include container ships and product tankers, both to be constructed by its subsidiary, New Yangzi Shipbuilding.
Two MR2 product tankers take effect
On March 11, Tanker owner d’Amico International Shipping (DIS) announced via its official website that it exercised an option through its subsidiary d’Amico Tankers D.A.C. with Yangzijiang Shipbuilding’s subsidiary New Yangzi Shipbuilding to order two 50,000 DWT MR2 product tankers. Each vessel is valued at $45.4 million and is scheduled for delivery in August and October 2029.
The two new vessels now taking effect are option vessels from the 2+2 MR2 product tankers contract signed in January 2026. The first two vessels each carry a unit price of $45.4 million and are scheduled for delivery in March and June 2029, respectively.
In addition to exercising its option early, DIS also announced an additional order for two more MR2 product tankers of the same type from New Yangzi Shipbuilding. The specifications of the new vessels are identical to the previous four, though the construction cost is slightly higher. The order may take effect no later than March 31, 2026. With this, DIS now holds confirmed orders for four MR2 product tankers and two option orders for the same type from Yangzijiang Shipbuilding this year.
DIS stated that the new MR2 product tanker will achieve exceptional operational efficiency. Thanks to optimized hull design and enhanced main engine efficiency, its average daily fuel consumption at design draft and under normal continuous engine power operation will be approximately 17% lower than DIS’s existing eco-friendly MR2 vessels. The newbuilds will also feature methanol fuel compatibility, obtain B100 biofuel certification, and incorporate cybersecurity protection capabilities.
With the latest orders, DIS’s total newbuild order book now stands at 10 vessels, including 4 LR1 product tankers, 4 MR2 product tankers, and 2 MR1 product tankers, with a total value exceeding $900 million. Regarding delivery schedules, the 4 LR1 product tankers are scheduled for delivery in 2027, while the 4 MR2 product tankers and 2 MR1 product tankers are scheduled for delivery in 2029.
It is reported that all 10 new vessels for DIS were constructed by Chinese shipyards, with Yangzijiang Shipbuilding building 8 vessels and Guangzhou Shipyard International building 2 vessels.
In 2024, DIS placed an order for four 75,000 DWT LR1 product tankers with New Yangzi Shipbuilding, marking the end of the shipowner’s nine-year drought in newbuilding orders. In 2026, it ordered four 50,000 DWT MR2 product tankers from New Yangzi Shipbuilding. The order with Guangzhou Shipyard International was announced in 2025, comprising two 40,000 DWT MR1 product tankers with a total order value of $86.4 million. Deliveries are scheduled for April and July 2029.
According to its official website, DIS is a subsidiary of d’Amico Società di Navigazione S.p.A., one of the world’s leading privately owned shipping companies. It specializes in the product tanker sector, operating vessels primarily transporting refined petroleum products, chemicals, and vegetable oils. As of now, DIS’s fleet consists of 29 double-hulled product tankers (including MR, Flexible, and LR1 types, with 27 owned vessels and 2 bareboat chartered vessels), averaging approximately 9.6 years in age and ranging in deadweight tonnage from 35,000 to 75,000 tons.
Newly signed 4+4 feeder container vessels
On March 10, the day before DIS officially announced its oil tanker order, Shanghai Jinjiang Shipping and New Yangzi Shipbuilding held a signing ceremony for a contract to build 4+4 1,900 TEU container ships. According to previously disclosed results, the total construction cost for the first batch of four 1,900 TEU container ships is 820 million yuan, with each vessel costing 205 million yuan (approximately $30 million).
Shanghai Jinjiang Shipping stated that the new vessels will further expand the company’s fleet scale, optimize its fleet structure, enhance operational efficiency and service capabilities, and provide solid support for consolidating its route service advantages, expanding into emerging markets, and strengthening its core competitiveness.
In 2026, Yangzijiang Shipbuilding has announced multiple new ship orders, primarily for oil tankers and container vessels. In addition to the aforementioned newbuilding projects, these include seven 5,900 TEU container ships ordered by Evergreen Marine, also to be constructed by New Yangzi Shipbuilding.
Notably, the seven 5,900 TEU container ships mark Evergreen Marine’s first order placed with Yangzijiang Shipbuilding. Each vessel is priced between $67 million and $82 million, with the total order valued at $469 million to $574 million.
As China’s largest private shipbuilder, Yangzijiang Shipbuilding released its 2025 Annual Performance Announcement at the end of February: During the reporting period, the company achieved operating revenue of RMB 28.5 billion, representing a year-on-year increase of 7.4%; net profit reached RMB 8.6 billion, up 30.2% year-on-year, marking a significant leap in profitability with net profit hitting a record high; cumulative new orders totaled 60 vessels valued at approximately $2.5 billion.
As of December 31, 2025, Yangzijiang Shipbuilding held an order backlog of 245 vessels (8.59 million compensated gross tons), valued at approximately US$22.39 billion, with delivery dates covering 2026 to 2030. Clean energy vessels accounted for approximately 71% of the orders: 130 container ships (5.78 CGT) valued at $16.06 billion; 40 oil tankers (1.06 million CGT) valued at $2.03 billion; 26 LPG/LEG/VLEC/VLAC carriers (680,000 CGT) valued at $2.36 billion; and 49 bulk carriers (1.07 million CGT) valued at $1.94 billion.
To enhance shipbuilding efficiency and delivery processes, Yangzijiang Shipbuilding is accelerating the construction of its new shipbuilding base—the Yangzhi Hongyuan Shipbuilding Project. According to the latest disclosure from Yangzijiang Shipbuilding, the project is expected to be completed in 2026, with preliminary shipbuilding activities (such as steel structure fabrication) having commenced in the first quarter of 2026.