Union Maritime, a diversified British shipping company, has increased its fleet of new vessels to 79 by placing shipbuilding orders and purchasing ships under construction, with the additions primarily consisting of bulk carriers and product tankers.
Overall, the company’s newbuild orders are being constructed at shipyards in China, South Korea, Japan, and Vietnam, with 68, 2, 7, and 2 vessels respectively; Chinese shipyards account for 86% of the total order volume.
Placed orders for nine newbuilds and acquired two vessels under construction.
Data from the company’s official website indicates that, as of September 23, Union Maritime’s fleet of new vessels totaled 79—a significant increase compared to the figure in August. A review reveals a net addition of 11 vessels during this period, comprising nine newbuilds and two resale vessels, all contracted with shipyards in China and Japan.
Chinese Shipyards: Two 211,000 DWT bulk carriers were ordered from Wuhu Shipyard, with delivery expected in 2029; four 49,400 DWT MR2 product tankers were ordered from China Merchants Shipbuilding Industry Yangzhou Dingheng Shipyard, with delivery expected in 2028 (two vessels) and 2029 (two vessels).
In addition, Union Maritime has acquired two 49,800 DWT product tankers under construction by Jingjiang Nanyang Shipbuilding, with delivery expected in 2027.
These two product tankers were resold by Yangzijiang Maritime. According to Yangzijiang Maritime’s latest announcement, the company has signed resale contracts for eight 49,800 DWT product tankers being built by Jingjiang Nanyang Shipbuilding; in addition to Union Maritime, four of these vessels were resold to Scorpio Tankers.
Japanese Shipyards: Union Maritime has placed an order with Imabari Shipbuilding for one 40,000 DWT bulk carrier, scheduled for delivery in 2029; it has also placed an order with Fukuoka Shipbuilding for two 19,900 DWT product tankers, scheduled for delivery in 2029.
New shipbuilding orders rose to 79 vessels, with Chinese shipyards accounting for 86%.
The fleet list shows that Union Maritime’s current newbuilding projects are spread across shipyards in China, South Korea, Japan, and Vietnam. The number of orders is 68, 2, 7, and 2, respectively. Of these, orders placed with Chinese shipyards account for 86 percent. This batch of new vessels will be delivered between 2026 and 2030. Among the shipbuilders, Wuhu Shipyard holds the largest number of newbuilding orders, with 22 vessels currently scheduled for delivery.
According to statistics, Union Maritime’s orders from Chinese shipyards include:
Wuhu Shipyard: six 211,000 DWT bulk carriers, eight 50,000 DWT product tankers, and eight 18,500 DWT chemical tankers; Hengli Heavy Industries: two 82,000 DWT bulk carriers; Jiangmen Nanyang Shipbuilding: one 64,500 DWT bulk carrier and three 40,500 DWT bulk carriers; Nantong Xiangyu Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering Co., Ltd. (Nantong Xiangyu SOE) : two 64,000 DWT bulk carriers; Dalian Shipbuilding Industry Corporation (DSIC): one 115,000 DWT product tanker; Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding: one 114,000 DWT Aframax tanker; COSCO SHIPPING Heavy Industry (Yangzhou): two 114,000 DWT Aframax tankers; Mawei Shipbuilding: eight 113,600 DWT product tankers; New Times Shipbuilding: two 112,500 DWT product tankers; Guangzhou Shipyard International: one 112,000 DWT product tanker; Huanghai Shipbuilding: two 49,900 DWT product tankers; Jingjiang Nanyang Shipbuilding: two 49,800 DWT product tankers; China Merchants Shipbuilding Industry Yangzhou Dingheng Shipyard: four 49,400 DWT product tankers; Jinglu Shipyard: seven 49,200 DWT product tankers; CMES Jinling Shipyard: two 25,900 DWT chemical tankers; Dalian Shipbuilding Offshore Co. (DSOC): four 24,200 DWT product tankers; Yangzijiang Shipbuilding: two 88,000 cbm VLACs.
Union Maritime’s orderbook also includes one 82,400 DWT bulk carrier from Tsuneishi Shipbuilding, two 40,000 DWT bulk carriers from Imabari Shipbuilding, two 50,000 DWT product tankers from Onomichi Dockyard, two 19,900 DWT product tankers from Fukuoka Shipbuilding, two 115,000 DWT product tankers from HD Hyundai Vietnam Shipbuilding, and two 90,000 cbm VLGCs from HD Hyundai Heavy Industries.
Including newbuild projects, Union Maritime’s fleet totals 185 vessels, comprising 85 tankers, 15 dry bulk carriers, 6 offshore vessels, and 79 newbuilds.