Eastern Pacific signs for up to a dozen car carrier newbuilds

The Singapore-based diversified shipowner, with around 80 newbuilding projects, has contracted for up to eight 5,500 ceu vessels at Fujian Mawei Shipbuilding and up to four at China Merchants Jinling Shipyard.

The order covers four firm LNG dual-fuel units at Fujian Mawei, delivering in 2027, and two firm at Jinling, with shipbuilding sources suggesting a price of about $80m each.

The construction of the four mid-sized car carriers will be carried out at Xiamen Shipbuilding, with the owner securing options for an additional four vessels. At the same time, the Jinling Shipyard deal came with two optional units.

Earlier this year, EPS also booked up to eight 50,000 dwt MR tankers at Fujian Mawei, with delivery of the four firm ships due in 2026, while Ofer’s cooperation with China Merchants Jinling continued following contracts for a series of 7,000 ceu dual-fuel newbuilds

About 35 firm car carriers have been contracted year-to-date, according to Clarksons data, while last year saw 88 units firmed up mostly across Chinese shipyards and predominantly larger vessels.