Japanese owner Sado Steam Ship announced on June 25 that it will place an order for one car ferry at a domestic yard Kanda Shipbuilding.
The newbuilding contract is scheduled to be signed on June 28. According to the contract, valued at around JPY 6bn ($75m), starting with steel cutting ceremony in July 2013, the newbuilding will be commissioned in March 2014.
This newbuilding will replace Sado Steam's existing 5,373-gt car ferry, delivered in 1988, which can carry 1,705 people.