Fredriksen's Seatankers linked to Newcastlemax order at expanding Chinese yard

Riviera first reported in February that China’s Dajin Heavy Industry, a builder known for deck carriers and offshore units, had secured an order from John Coustas-led Danaos Corp for two 211,000-dwt Newcastlemax bulk carriers.

Danaos later confirmed in its annual report that Dajin will build the vessels, adding that the order has been increased to four firm units, scheduled for delivery in 2028.

At the time, shipbroking sources noted that Dajin was aiming to expand into the commercial shipping sector, with additional orders under discussion but not yet finalised.

Shipbrokers now report that Fredriksen’s Seatankers has placed an order for two firm Newcastlemax vessels at the yard, with options for two additional units. Deliveries are expected in 2028.

European shipbrokers estimate the price of each vessel at around US$73.5M.

Seatankers had previously ordered Newcastlemax and Kamsarmax bulk carriers at China Merchants Industry Qingdao Shipyard. Last year, Seatankers was also linked to multiple secondhand bulk carrier sales ahead of its newbuilding deliveries.

The owner has recently been ramping up tanker orders at Hengli Heavy Industries.

Established in 2003, Dajin operates seven facilities and specialises in onshore and offshore towers, as well as floating foundations, according to information on its website.

Activity in the dry bulk newbuilding segment has gained momentum in recent months, with owners increasingly focusing on larger vessel sizes. According to Howe Robinson data, the Capesize orderbook expanded by 24% in dwt terms between January and March 2026.

Overall, the dry bulk orderbook has reached a 10-year high, with 1,618 vessels totalling 142.2M dwt currently on order. This comes despite contracting in 2025 remaining below the levels seen in 2023 and 2024.