Cosco Shipping Development, a subsidiary of Cosco Shipping Group, has ordered 10 bulk carriers of 210,000 DWT that will be built with ammonia- and methanol-ready notations.

Of the 10 vessels, four will be constructed by CSSC Qingdao Beihai Shipbuilding, while the remaining six will be built by Zhoushan COSCO Shipping Heavy Industry, according to a filing on the Hong Kong stock exchange on Tuesday.

The ammonia- and methanol-ready notation means the ships will be designed and classed to allow future retrofitting for operation on either ammonia or methanol.

However, while a growing number of vessels are being ordered with such notations, many have not yet been retrofitted to run on alternative fuels, highlighting uncertainty around the fuel choices and availability.

The shipbuilding contract is worth CNY 5.28 billion (approximately $740 million).

The vessels are expected to be delivered between December 2027 and the end of 2028.