Trading Winds reports that Cape Shipping, a Greek shipping company owned by the Andrianopoulos family, has placed an order with Hengli Heavy Industries for three Capesize bulk carriers at a total cost of approximately $228 million. Based on this figure, the cost per vessel is approximately $76 million, and delivery is expected between late 2027 and early 2028.
Sources indicate that the shipbuilding contract was signed several months ago but had not been reported publicly until recently.
Clarksons data shows that the hull numbers for the three Capesize bulk carriers are B181K-29, B181K-32, and B181K-39, with delivery dates scheduled for November and December 2027, and February 2028, respectively.
So far this year, Cape Shipping has been active in the newbuild market. In addition to three new vessels from Hengli Heavy Industries, the company has ordered two 319,000 DWT Very Large Crude Carriers (VLCCs) from Beihai Shipbuilding and holds a bulk carrier newbuild project at Panjin Dajin Marine Engineering Co., Ltd. (Panjin Dajin), a wholly-owned subsidiary of the private shipbuilder Dajin Heavy Industry..
In terms of shipbuilding, Hengli Heavy Industries has recently secured orders for eight 93,000 cbm ultra-large ammonia carriers (VLACs). All of these orders are from Greek shipowners: Dynacom, Capital, and Evalend Shipping, holding two, two, and four vessels, respectively, with delivery scheduled between 2028 and 2029.
Hengli Heavy Industries has received approximately RMB 7 billion in raised funds and has injected the entire amount into its second-tier subsidiary through a tiered capital increase to expand production capacity. The funded projects include an integrated green, intelligent, and high-end shipbuilding project; a supporting upgrade project for curved hull block manufacturing; and the construction of berths No. 3 through No. 6 to support the green, high-end shipbuilding operations.