Greek bulk carrier owner Seanergy Maritime is accelerating its fleet renewal strategy and has announced orders for six large bulk carriers, with a total construction cost of approximately $460 million, to be built by two Chinese shipyards and one Japanese shipyard.
The six bulk carriers include five 181,500 DWT Capesize vessels and one 211,000DWT Newcastlemax vessel. They are expected to be delivered between 2027 and 2029 and will all be equipped with scrubbers and built to environmental standards designed to improve fuel efficiency and reduce emissions.
Specifically, Hengli Heavy Industries is responsible for building three 181,500 DWT Capesize bulk carriers, while Imabari Shipbuilding in Japan is responsible for building two 181,500 DWT Capesize bulk carriers. Delivery is expected to take place between the second and fourth quarters of 2027 (four vessels) and in the first quarter of 2029 (one vessel); Jiangsu Hantong Ship Heavy Industry Co., Ltd. (HT) is responsible for building one 211,000 DWT bulk carrier, which is expected to be delivered in the second quarter of 2028.
In March, Seanergy Maritime announced the acquisition of two 181,500 DWT Capesize bulk carriers under construction from a Japanese shipyard; while the shipyard was not disclosed at the time, the transaction involved Imabari Shipbuilding, with a total construction cost of approximately $158 million.
The disclosure of these six newbuild projects marks a major strategic shift for Seanergy Maritime. The shipowner had previously focused on acquiring second-hand Capesize bulk carriers and only entered the newbuild market for the first time in October 2025.
Seanergy Maritime has engaged in in-depth negotiations with charterers, and the newbuilds are expected to be chartered under multi-year contracts featuring down-risk protection and profit-sharing clauses.
Excluding vessels under construction, Seanergy Maritime currently owns or operates under finance leases 20 vessels, including 18 Capesize bulk carriers and 2 Newcastlemax bulk carriers.
In addition to the newbuild program, Seanergy Maritime has disposed of three older vessels as part of its fleet renewal plan, representing a “significant enhancement to the fleet’s quality, efficiency, and long-term profitability.”