Increased to seven vessels! A flagship vessel type from a Guangdong-based private shipbuilder has once again secured an order from a European shipowner.

Recently, Swiss dry bulk shipowner Suisse-Atlantique placed an additional order with Jiangmen Nanyang Shipbuilding for two 40,500-dwt bulk carriers equipped with open hatchways.

With the latest order now secured, Suisse Atlantique has increased its total number of bulk carriers on order at Jiangmen Nanyang Shipbuilding to seven, with all newbuilds scheduled for delivery between the third quarter of 2028 and the first quarter of 2029.

According to reports, Suisse-Atlantique had previously placed an order with Jiangmen Nanyang Shipbuilding for five Ultramax bulk carriers between late last year and March this year. The two newly added 40,500-dwt open-hatch bulk carriers have yet to disclose their contract price, propulsion configuration, or specific delivery dates.

For reference, Clarkson’s data show that the current price of a new 38,000–42,000 dwt bulk carrier is approximately US$31 million (about RMB 208 million), up roughly 9% from US$29.5 million at the same time last year.

These two 40,500‑dwt bulk carriers will feature a box‑shaped hull design, offering enhanced cargo versatility. In addition to conventional dry bulk cargoes, they can also flexibly handle breakbulk, project cargo, and other types of freight, helping shipowners further expand their operational scope.

The order placed with Jiangmen Nanyang Shipbuilding marks Suisse-Atlantique’s first-ever newbuild contract with a Chinese shipyard. Previously, the company’s new vessels were primarily built at shipyards in Japan, Vietnam, and the Philippines.

It is worth noting that these seven new vessels were not all financed solely by Suisse-Atlantique. The company stated that its newbuilding program encompasses both ships ordered on its own account and projects undertaken in joint ventures with external investors.

Under this model, Suisse-Atlantique will oversee the construction of all seven new vessels and assume full technical management upon delivery. This means that, in addition to its traditional ship‑ownership and chartering activities, the group will further expand into third‑party vessel management.

Currently, Suisse-Atlantique owns and operates 12 bulk carriers, including two handy-size vessels, six Ultramax vessels, and four post-Panamax bulk carriers, built between 2011 and 2021. In addition, its shipping operations manage an even larger fleet of both owned and chartered vessels.

According to reports, Jiangmen Nanyang Shipbuilding is the largest privately owned shipbuilding enterprise in Guangdong Province. Established in early 2005, it is located on the banks of the Yinzhou Lake in Xinhui District, Jiangmen City, Guangdong Province. The company operates two manufacturing sites covering a total area of 915 mu, with a combined workshop space of 140,000 square meters. It is capable of building vessels up to 100,000 deadweight tons and boasts an annual shipbuilding capacity of 1.6 million deadweight tons.

For many years, Jiangmen Nanyang Shipbuilding has focused on the market for bulk carriers under 100,000 deadweight tons. Among these, the 40,500‑dwt handy‑size bulk carrier stands as the company’s flagship product. Thanks to its cutting‑edge technology and outstanding economic performance, this vessel type has become one of the international benchmark designs and is widely recognized in the global market as the “Nanyang‑type” ship. Since its establishment, Jiangmen Nanyang Shipbuilding has delivered more than a hundred handy‑size bulk carriers, securing the top global market share in the niche segment of modern, energy‑efficient handy‑size bulkers.

Including the latest order, Clarkson’s data show that Jiangmen Nanyang Shipbuilding currently holds a total of 148 vessels amounting to 7.697 million deadweight tons, comprising 71 bulk carriers of 64,500 dwt, 75 bulk carriers of 40,500 dwt, and 2 bulk carriers of 40,000 dwt, with delivery schedules extending through 2030.