CSSC Leasing, a division of China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC), has exercised an option for two more baby-cape newbuildings at CSSC’s Huangpu Wenchong Shipbuilding, which are intended for Cargill.
A spokesperson of the Geneva-based freight trader confirmed to World Maritime News that the additional ships have been ordered.
The options were included in a deal announced in June , 2018, when four ships were ordered by CSSC Leasing, to be chartered out to Cargill. The latest order brings the freight forwarder’s orderbook to six ships at the yard.
The ships will feature 120,000 deadweight tons, and are set to be delivered in late 2020, according to a report from Clarksons Plateau. As disclosed earlier, once delivered, the ships will primarily engage in shipping coal and grains.
Announcing the initial deal, Cargill said that the order was driven by ever growing demand for baby-cape vessels over the past few years.
The order emerges on the back of recently lifted option for four medium range (MR) product tankers intended for the freight forwarder.
The ships were ordered last month by Greek-owner Empire Navigation at South Korean shipbuilder Hyundai Mipo Dockyard, pushing the orderbook to eight ships.
World Maritime News Staff