Chinese coastal shipowner Shenhua Zhonghai Shipping is looking to order eight panamax bulkers at a domestic yard.
The joint-venture company owned by Shenhua Group and China Shipping Group (CSG) is in talks with domestic shipyards to book the 76,000-dwt newbuildings for delivery in 2013 and 2014, according to sources.
The ships would be the largest ever operated by Shenhua Zhonghai, which previously ordered only handymax bulkers for domestic trade.
China Shipping Industry (Jiangsu) Co, Chengxi Shipyard and Bohai Shipbuilding Heavy Industry are said to be competing for the project which industry players value in excess of CNY 1.6bn ($251m).