Japanese shipping company NS United Kaiun Kaisha has executed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with compatriot shipbuilders Nippon Shipyard, Imabari Shipbuilding, and Japan Marine United for the construction of new Capesize bulk carriers.
The 209,000DWT ships will be used for the global transport of raw materials to and from Japan.
These vessels will adapt Phase III of EEDI (i.e., 30 per cent reduction in CO2 emission efficiency compared to EEDI standards), which is enforced among bulk carriers entering into shipbuilding contracts in 2025 and later. They will also each be equipped with a dual-fuel engine that can operate on methanol fuel in addition to conventional heavy fuel oil.
Upon completion, each ship will have an LOA of approximately 299 metres, a moulded beam of 50 metres, a moulded depth of 25 metres, and a summer draught of 18.4 metres.
NS United expects to take delivery of the new bulk carriers beginning in 2027.