Trading Winds reports that Monaco-based shipowner Gestion Maritime has placed an order with Nantong Xiangyu Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering Co., Ltd. (Nantong Xiangyu SOE) for three 64,000 DWT Ultramax bulk carriers. The vessels are expected to be delivered between late 2028 and early 2029.
As one of the world’s leading shipbuilders of Ultramax bulk carriers, as of July 3, 2026, Nantong Xiangyu SOE had built and delivered 100 Ultramax bulk carriers and had a cumulative order book of 168 vessels from 38 shipowners across 10 countries and regions. Industry data shows that its order book for Ultramax bulk carriers consistently ranks among the top globally.
With the addition of the two most recently disclosed vessels, Nantong Xiangyu SOE has secured orders for at least 23 Ultramax bulk carriers in 2026 alone. Clients placing these orders include Turkey’s Aqmaris Gemi (8 vessels), Bangladesh’s AKIJ Resource (4 vessels), Greece’s Goldenport Shipmanagement (4 vessels), and Shanghai Times Shipping (2 vessels), among others.
According to its official website, Nantong Xiangyu SOE was established in December 2016 and has two shipbuilding and offshore engineering subsidiaries: Nantong Xiangyu Engineering Equipment Co., Ltd. and Qidong Xiangyu Marine Equipment Co., Ltd.
Currently, Nantong Xiangyu SOE has established a production layout comprising “two shipyards and four bases,” with an annual shipbuilding capacity exceeding 3 million deadweight tons (DWT). Its product portfolio includes a variety of high-end, specialized oceangoing vessels, such as energy-efficient and eco-friendly bulk carriers, dual-fuel stainless-steel chemical tankers, offshore wind turbine installation vessels, and semi-submersible ships.
As of the end of June 2026, Nantong Xiangyu SOE holds an orderbook of 132 vessels—ranking first globally for chemical tankers under 10,000 deadweight tonnes—with a total contract value exceeding 30 billion yuan and delivery schedules extending through 2030.