Orders have risen to 16 vessels! A major shipowner is building a new-generation fleet.

On December 2, Beihai Shipbuilding, in collaboration with CSSC Trade and Veolia International Group, held a signing ceremony in Shanghai for the construction contracts of six ultra-large ore carriers (VLOCs) with a deadweight tonnage of 325,000 tons each.

Sun Siyuan, Executive Vice President of Weili International Group, and Sun Zhijun, Vice President of the same group, along with Peng Yuanpu, Deputy General Manager of China Shipbuilding Group, Gu Pengcheng, Deputy Director of the International Business Department/Market Development Department, and Ou Chuanjie, Secretary of the Party Committee and Chairman of Beihai Shipbuilding, among other leaders and guests, attended and witnessed the signing ceremony. Sun Siyuan, Executive Vice President of Weili International Group, Zheng Mingsheng, Deputy General Manager of the Asia-Pacific Division of CSSC Trade, and Zhang Quan, Deputy General Manager of Beihai Shipbuilding, signed the construction contract on behalf of the three parties.

This signing marks another collaboration between the two parties in the VLOC sector. It not only reflects the deep trust and support shared by both sides but also fully demonstrates the shipowner’s high recognition of Beihai Shipbuilding’s strong technical capabilities and outstanding vessel quality. Previously, Beihai Shipbuilding and Weili International Group had already signed a contract in September 2023 for the first batch of two VLOCs; these new vessels are scheduled for delivery in September and December 2026, respectively.

According to reports, the six 325,000-ton VLOCs recently contracted by Weili International Group are the WINNINGMAX vessel type, independently and innovatively customized and designed by China Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering Design Research Center Co., Ltd. These vessels have been classed by DNV and the China Classification Society. The vessels have a total length of 329.99 meters, a molded breadth of 60.00 meters, a molded depth of 30.50 meters, and a structural draft of 22.10 meters. They can achieve the Phase III requirements of the Ship Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI). Compared with conventional Cape-size vessels, the WINNINGMAX vessel type can reduce energy consumption per ton-mile by nearly 50%. Moreover, the vessels are pre-equipped for methanol fuel and feature a 12,000-cubic-meter methanol fuel storage tank, enabling them to operate on “zero carbon” throughout their entire voyage when green methanol is adopted in the future. The WINNINGMAX is a new-generation vessel type jointly developed by Beihai Shipbuilding, in collaboration with its partners, in response to Weili International Group’s green and environmentally friendly requirements. It also marks a solid step forward for Beihai Shipbuilding in its capabilities for green ship design and construction.

It is understood that Weili International Group was founded in 2002 by Mr. Sun Xiushun and is headquartered in Singapore. It is a comprehensive multinational group integrating shipowning, shipping operations, maritime logistics, vessel management, mining development, as well as railway and port construction and operation. Through its branches in China, Guinea, Indonesia, and other regions, the group provides land-based logistics, maritime logistics, and deep-sea transportation services for customers worldwide, covering bauxite, alumina, nickel ore, iron ore, and general cargo.

Weili International Group boasts one of the largest bulk carrier fleets in Singapore and is currently the world’s largest maritime transporter of bauxite. Its fleet controls and operates more than 100 vessels, including a proprietary fleet of 43 Capesize bulk carriers with a total deadweight tonnage exceeding 8 million tons, placing its overall transport capacity among the top globally.

In 2014, Weili International Group, together with China's Weiqiao Group, Shandong Port Group Yantai Port Group, and France's UMS, formed the trilateral “Winning Consortium” (SMB-Winning Consortium) and entered Guinea to develop bauxite resources. In November 2019, the Winning Consortium Simandou, led by Weili International Group, exclusively acquired mining rights for Blocks No. 1 and No. 2 of the Simandou iron ore deposit in Guinea.

In November of this year, the Simandou iron ore project in Guinea officially began operations. This project is one of the world’s highest-quality and largest-scale mining ventures, with proven reserves totaling 4.4 billion tons and a full-capacity production output of 120 million tons per year. Following the commissioning ceremony on November 11, the first batch of 9,850 tons of high-grade lump ore from the Simandou iron ore project was loaded onto Weili’s self-propelled barge “Winning Max 1,” which then transferred the cargo to the bulk carrier “Winning Youth,” anchored approximately 20 nautical miles off the port of Marebaia.

Currently, Weili International Group is building a fleet of VLOC vessels based on the “WinningMax” concept to provide stable transport capacity for its participation in the Simandou project. In addition to the eight vessels being built by Beihai Shipbuilding, Weili International Group has also placed an order with Hengli Heavy Industry for another eight “WinningMax”-type VLOCs, which will be delivered sequentially from 2026 to 2028.

Beihai Shipbuilding has been deeply engaged in the construction of its core vessel types and is committed to undertaking series and mass-production orders for ultra-large ore carriers. The business and fleet requirements of Weili International Group closely align with Beihai Shipbuilding’s vessel type positioning. This renewed collaboration between the two parties not only lays a solid foundation for deepening their sustainable development strategy and continuously expanding into the Guinean bauxite and iron ore transportation markets, but also further strengthens Beihai Shipbuilding’s leading position in the global market for ultra-large ore carriers.

Beihai Shipbuilding will always uphold the business philosophy of “Customer First, Co-creating the Future,” allocating high-quality resources, assembling specialized project teams, and rigorously controlling construction quality and schedule milestones to ensure that vessels are delivered on time and to the highest standards. Going forward, both parties will maintain close communication, deepen their strategic cooperation on sustainable development, achieve mutual benefits and win-win outcomes, and work together to build world-class vessels that are green, energy-efficient, environmentally friendly, and highly efficient.

Excluding the latest orders, according to Clarkson’s data, North Sea Shipbuilding currently has a total of 65 vessels on hand, with a combined deadweight tonnage of 15.406 million tons. Among these, 61 are bulk carriers and 4 are oil tankers, with delivery schedules extending as far as 2029.