Singapore-listed Yangzijiang Maritime Development has moved to deepen its forward fleet with an order for 10 newbuildings spanning tankers and bulk carriers.

The group said it has signed contracts with Chinese yards for four 114,000 dwt product/crude tankers, four 49,800 dwt product and chemical tankers, and two 40,000 dwt bulk carriers. Deliveries are set to run from 2027 through to 2029.

The latest contracts will take the company’s total fleet to 105 vessels, including 53 ships currently on order, giving it one of the larger forward orderbooks among Asian leasing-backed owners.

Yangzijiang Maritime said it is sticking to a familiar playbook of standard designs, established yards and pricing it considers competitive, with flexibility to deploy ships through leasing, chartering, or pre-delivery resale depending on market conditions.

Executive chairman and chief executive Ren Yuanlin (pictured) noted the order reflects a “disciplined approach” to fleet investment, with a focus on eco-compliant tonnage that can meet tightening regulations without pushing up capital costs too far.

The 49,800 dwt tankers will be methanol-ready and all vessels will meet EEDI Phase 3 requirements. Funding for the new ships will come through a mix of equity co-investment and debt, in line with the group’s capital-cycling model.

The move comes just weeks after the company made a much larger statement in the crude sector, placing an order for eight VLCCs in what marked its first major step into the top end of the tanker market.