Japan’s Tsuneishi Shipbuilding has secured an order for three kamsarmaxes from Singapore-based United Ocean group last week, bringing this year’s orders to date to seven, with another order for three kamsarmaxes expected to be agreed in June, according to the company.
The delivery date for the latest order is set for 2013 and 2014.
“This is a good project with a good customer,” said Katsushige Kambara, president and chief executive of parent Tsuneishi Holdings, adding that the company’s orderbook was full until 2013.
Tsuneishi was the first major Japanese shipbuilder to establish a yard in the Phillipines. It also has facilities in China. However, the ships for the latest order are to be built in Japan.
No details were given about the price of the 82,100 dwt vessels.
Last month, Tsuneishi won an order for two 1,000 teu vessels to be built at its unit in Zhoushan, China. The buyer was Kambara Kisen, the shipping arm of the Tsuneishi group.
Also in April, the company secured an order for two handysize vessels from a Japanese shipowner. The vessels will be constructed at the company’s shipbuilding and repair unit in Cebu.
The order expected to be closed in June for three additional kamsarmaxes is from a Japanese customer and the ships will also be constructed in the Philippines.
Tsuneishi invented the kamsarmax design, building the first such vessel in 2005. By February of this year, the company had sold 100 ships of this type.