Beijing, China | January 13, 2026 – COSCO SHIPPING Group has placed orders for 21 newbuild vessels in a single day, delivering one of the clearest snapshots yet of how the Chinese shipping giant is reshaping its fleet for the next market cycle. Spanning container and dry bulk segments, the orders reflect a deliberate balance between scale, network resilience, and fuel optionality rather than a simple capacity expansion.
The contracts were distributed across leading Chinese shipyards and channeled through COSCO SHIPPING’s two core operating platforms, COSCO SHIPPING Holdings for container shipping and COSCO SHIPPING BULK for dry bulk, underscoring a coordinated, group-wide fleet strategy.
Container Segment: Scaling the Mainlane While Reinforcing the Feeder Network
COSCO SHIPPING Holdings accounted for 18 of the 21 vessels ordered, combining ultra-large mainlane tonnage with regionally focused feeder ships to enhance end-to-end network performance.
LNG Dual-Fuel Mainlane Vessels
The centerpiece of the container orders is a series of 12 LNG dual-fuel containerships of approximately 18,000 TEU, contracted at Jiangnan Shipbuilding with China Shipbuilding Trading (CSTC) acting as the commercial intermediary. The vessels are scheduled for delivery between 2028 and 2029 and are intended for deployment on East–West trunk routes.
The choice of LNG dual-fuel propulsion highlights COSCO SHIPPING’s near-term compliance strategy: deploying proven, scalable technology that delivers immediate emissions reductions while maintaining flexibility for future fuel transitions. For mainlane services, where fuel availability, reliability, and regulatory exposure are most acute, LNG provides a “ready-now” solution without locking the fleet into a single long-term pathway.
Wide-Beam Feeder Expansion
Complementing the mainlane orders, COSCO SHIPPING Holdings also contracted six wide-beam feeder vessels of around 3,000 TEU at Zhoushan COSCO SHIPPING Heavy Industry, with deliveries expected in 2028.
These vessels are aimed at international regional feeder trades, where schedule reliability and port accessibility are critical. By investing in modern feeder tonnage, COSCO SHIPPING is reinforcing the connective tissue of its global network, improving cargo flow between hubs and secondary ports while increasing operational flexibility in congested or draft-restricted regions.
Dry Bulk: Flexibility and Fuel Readiness in Newcastlemax Design
COSCO SHIPPING BULK placed orders for three new-generation dry bulk carriers of approximately 210,000 dwt, broadly aligned with the Newcastlemax class. The vessels will be built by CSSC Beihai Shipbuilding, with China Shipbuilding Trading (CSTC) participating in the contracts.
The ships are designed by the Shanghai Merchant Ship Design & Research Institute (SDARI) and will be classed by China Classification Society (CCS). The financing structure includes participation from Zheshang Financial Leasing, reflecting continued use of diversified funding channels for large-capital assets.
What differentiates these vessels from conventional Newcastlemax designs is their enhanced cargo flexibility. In addition to traditional bulk commodities, the ships are engineered to accommodate alternative cargo types, including breakbulk and containers, improving round-voyage utilization on selected trade corridors.
From an energy transition perspective, the vessels are built with methanol- and ammonia-ready features, including reserved space and systems integration allowances. This approach preserves optionality as zero- and near-zero-carbon fuels move closer to commercial viability, without imposing near-term technology risk.
A Coordinated Fleet Strategy, Not a Market Bet
Taken together, the 21-vessel orderbook reveals a layered strategy rather than a directional gamble on freight markets. In a single day, COSCO SHIPPING aligned three distinct fleet priorities with three tailored construction programs:
- Mainlane scale and near-term decarbonization through LNG dual-fuel ultra-large containerships
- Regional network resilience via modern feeder tonnage supporting hub-and-spoke connectivity
- Dry bulk flexibility and future fuel readiness through multi-cargo Newcastlemax vessels with methanol and ammonia pathways
The distribution of orders across top-tier domestic shipyards further signals a focus on execution certainty and technical standardization.
Rather than chasing capacity growth alone, COSCO SHIPPING appears to be undertaking a structural upgrade of its fleet, enhancing regulatory compliance readiness, strengthening network performance, and preserving fuel flexibility in an increasingly uncertain energy landscape.
About COSCO SHIPPING Group
China COSCO Shipping Corporation Limited (COSCO SHIPPING) is a global leader in the maritime industry, operating as a state-owned multinational headquartered in Shanghai. Following its landmark 2016 merger, the Group has established a robust “3+4” industrial ecosystem that places shipping, ports, and logistics at its core, supported by shipping finance, equipment manufacturing, and digital innovation.
As of late 2025, COSCO SHIPPING manages one of the world’s most formidable merchant fleets, exceeding 1,500 vessels with a total capacity of approximately 130 million DWT. Its global reach is further anchored by a terminal portfolio of 375 berths across 39 ports, maintaining its position as the world’s top-ranked integrated shipping enterprise.
In line with its mission to become a world-class shipping technology company, COSCO SHIPPING is aggressively pursuing a “Dual Transformation” of digital intelligence and green development. The Group previously has committed to a carbon-neutral future, evidenced by a $7 billion investment in next-generation fleets, including a significant orderbook of over 40 methanol dual-fuel vessels and the deployment of the world’s first 700 TEU pure electric container ships.
Source: COSCO Shipping