Zodiac Maritime, owned by Israeli shipping magnate Eyal Ofer, has further solidified its market position in the pure car and track carrier (PCTC) segment by ordering two dual-fuel PCTCs from a Chinese shipyard.
According to industry sources, British shipowner Zodiac Maritime has placed an additional order with CIMC Raffles for two 7,000 CEU LNG-fueled PCTCs, which are expected to be delivered in 2028. The construction cost per vessel has not yet been disclosed.
As one of the most active shipowners in the rapidly expanding car carrier market, Zodiac Maritime was among the first operators to enter into long-term charter agreements with Chinese automotive groups BYD and Geely. The company’s fleet currently operates 22 PCTCs, and it is expanding its order book through additional shipbuilding projects.
As the company continues to capitalize on the strong demand driven by the growth of Chinese auto exports, this additional order will further expand one of the industry’s largest newbuilding programs for PCTCs.
Zodiac Maritime has a long-standing partnership with CIMC Raffles, having previously collaborated on the delivery of 10 PCTCs.
In 2021, Zodiac Maritime placed its first order with CIMC Raffles for four 7,000 CEU LNG dual-fuel PCTCs. The unit price for the first batch of newbuilds was approximately $83 million, and the shipbuilding contract included options for up to 12 additional vessels; In 2023, the two parties signed a contract for two 7,000 CEU LNG dual-fuel car carriers at a unit price of approximately $92.5 million; these vessels have now been completed and delivered.
In addition to new orders for PCTCs, Zodiac Maritime has recently announced new orders in the tanker and gas carrier markets, such as three VLACs from Hanwha Ocean, four 319,000 DWT VLCCs from Jiangsu Hantong Ship Heavy Industry Co., Ltd (HT), and one Suezmax tanker from Samsung Heavy Industries.
On the shipyard side, in addition to the aforementioned two dual-fuel PCTCs, CIMC Raffles also signed a contract this year with Godby Shipping AB, a Nordic professional ro-ro project owner, to build 2+1+1 small and medium-sized ro-ro vessels with 1700-meter lanes. These new vessels are suitable for transporting ro-ro vehicles, trailers, and various types of wheeled cargo.