Seacons Marine Invests US$198.6 Million to Take Over Orders for Six 63,800 DWT Dry Bulk Carriers, to Boost Ocean-Going Capacity via Phased Deliveries in 2027
In December 2025, Seacons Marine acquired six dry bulk carriers from Nantong Xiangyu Ship & Ocean Engineering Co., Ltd. through the zero-cost assignment of shipbuilding contracts, with a total investment of USD 198.6 million. As the first Hong Kong-listed vessel management enterprise in China, the company has 39 vessels under construction.
This vessel acquisition does not involve the direct purchase of second-hand ships; instead, the company completes its capacity layout through the gratuitous assignment of rights and obligations under shipbuilding contracts.
On December 26, 2025, Seacon Shipping, an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Seacons Marine, formally signed a novation agreement with the seller, agent and original contracting buyer. The original buyer assigned all rights and obligations under six bulk carrier shipbuilding contracts to Seacons Marine at zero consideration, and the original contracting party had not paid any shipbuilding advance payment, making the transaction process concise and efficient.
The seller of this transaction is Nantong Xiangyu Ship & Ocean Engineering Co., Ltd., a state-owned enterprise. The original buyer is a joint venture registered in the Marshall Islands, with Seacons Marine and Aurora Ships each holding a 50% equity stake. After taking over the contracts, Seacons Marine will bear full liability for the remaining shipbuilding payments and secure the capacity of six newly-built ocean-going bulk carriers.
II. Core Vessel Specifications and Delivery Schedule
All six vessels acquired are eco-friendly dry bulk carriers of 63,800 deadweight tons (DWT), suitable for global deep-sea and Southeast Asian short-sea trade routes for bulk commodities:
- Single vessel construction cost: US$33.1 million
- Total investment for six vessels: US$198.6 million
- Delivery schedule: Phased handover from January 30, 2027 to November 30, 2027
- Vessel advantages: Compliant with the latest energy efficiency and emission standards issued by the International Maritime Organization (IMO). Capable of transporting bulk cargoes including coal, grain, ore and construction materials, the vessels fit mainstream global dry bulk trade routes and enable the company to fully capture dividends from trade growth under the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP).
To cover the substantial capital outlay for ship construction, Seacons Marine has rolled out supporting financial leasing solutions. It optimizes corporate cash flow via sale-and-leaseback arrangements to steadily advance its fleet expansion strategy.
III. Corporate Strength: The First Hong Kong-Listed Vessel Management Enterprise, Ranking Top in the Industry in Capacity Scale
Founded in Qingdao, Shandong in 2012, Seacons Marine was listed on the Main Board of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange in March 2023, making it the first domestic vessel management firm listed in Hong Kong. It has been ranked among the world’s top ten ship management companies for consecutive years.
As of the release date of the announcement, the company ranks first in China and ninth globally in vessel management scale, and is the fifth-largest domestic dry bulk shipping service provider. At present, the Group controls a total of 39 vessels under construction, including 18 owned and bareboat chartered vessels, plus 21 vessels under construction held through joint ventures. Its fleet layout covers multiple segments including dry bulk, chemical tankers, product oil tankers and new energy green vessels, with a business network spanning major global shipping hub ports across Southeast Asia, the Middle East, Europe and the Americas.
IV. Industry Significance: Optimize Fleet Structure and Consolidate Leading Edge in Asia-Pacific Dry Bulk Shipping
The finalization of orders for the six new vessels represents a key strategic layout for Seacons Marine to deepen its presence in the dry bulk shipping sector. Amid sustained recovery in infrastructure development and bulk commodity import and export demand across Southeast Asia, these new vessels to be delivered in batches in 2027 will effectively fill the company’s gap in deep-sea capacity and further strengthen its market influence in the Asia-Pacific dry bulk maritime market.
Going forward, the company will continue to phase out aging, high-energy-consuming vessels through three approaches: new shipbuilding, takeover of existing shipbuilding orders and fleet structural upgrading. It will vigorously develop green and low-carbon shipping capacity. Leveraging its industry-leading domestic vessel management expertise, Seacons Marine will keep expanding its global shipping service footprint.
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