Greek bulk carrier owner Iolcos Hellenic Maritime Enterprises has returned to the newbuild market after a three-year hiatus and has secured a new shipbuilding order at a Chinese shipyard.
According to shipping brokers, Iolcos Hellenic has signed a contract with New Dayang Shipyard for the construction of two 82,000 DWT bulk carriers, which are expected to be delivered in 2029. Market sources revealed that the order was signed earlier this year but was only made public recently.
The announcement of this order marks Iolcos Hellenic’s return to the newbuild market after several years. The company’s previous newbuild project concluded in 2023, when COSCO Shipping Heavy Industry (Yangzhou) delivered three 82,000 DWT bulk carriers to the company.
Currently, Iolcos Hellenic’s fleet comprises 18 bulk carriers, including Panamax, Kamsarmax, and Post-Panamax vessels, with delivery dates ranging from 2006 to 2023. Since its establishment in 1982, the company has managed over 50 bulk carriers of various types, with a combined carrying capacity of approximately 3.7 million deadweight tons.
In the shipyard sector, New Dayang Shipyard has recently maintained a high level of activity in the newbuilding market. A few days ago, EGPN BULK CARRIER placed an order with New Dayang Shipyard for two 64,000 DWT bulk carriers; on June 8, Jinhui Group announced an order with the shipyard for two 64,100 DWT bulk carriers, marking the second order for the same vessel type signed between the two parties this year.
As 2026 began, Greek shipowners made a concerted return to the dry bulk newbuilding market, placing orders for new vessels across multiple vessel types, with total investment in new dry bulk projects amounting to approximately $2 billion. In terms of vessel types, Greek shipowners have ordered 13 Kamsarmax bulk carriers this year, with orders placed by companies such as Capital (owned by Evangelos Marinakis), Eurodry/Eurobulk (owned by Aristides Pittas), and Greece’s DryDel Shipping.
Currently, Kamsarmax bulk carriers remain the preferred vessel type for Greek shipowners in the dry bulk sector, with orders for this class accounting for nearly 50% of total dry bulk carrier orders. In terms of deadweight tonnage, the global orderbook for bulk carriers represents slightly more than 13% of the active fleet’s capacity.