Shipping firm expands fleet with order for two new vessels

Safe Bulkers, Inc., the Limassol-linked dry-bulk shipowner listed on the New York Stock Exchange and an international provider of marine dry bulk transportation services, has entered into an agreement for the acquisition of two newbuild, 82,500 dwt, dry-bulk, Chinese Kamsarmax class vessels.

According to the company, the vessels are due to be delivered in the third quarter of 2028 and the first quarter of 2029 respectively.

The newbuild vessels are designed to meet the Phase 3 requirements of the Energy Efficiency Design Index related to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions (IMO GHG – EEDI Phase 3), as adopted by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), while at the same time complying with the latest NOx emissions regulation, NOx Tier III.

In this context, the newbuild vessels are sister ships to existing vessels in the company’s fleet, featuring advanced energy efficiency characteristics that result in lower fuel consumption.

At the same time, the company has already taken delivery of twelve IMO GHG Phase 3 – NOx Tier III vessels.

Including the latest agreement, the company’s outstanding orderbook now comprises eight newbuild vessels, two of which are methanol dual-fuel, with scheduled deliveries of four vessels in 2026, two in 2027, one in 2028 and one in 2029.

Commenting on the agreement, Loukas Barmparis, president of the company, said that “we have placed these newbuild orders consistent with our fleet renewal strategy”, aiming to increase the competitiveness and resiliency of the Company and to own one of the most modern and environmentally efficient dry bulk fleets in the market.

Safe Bulkers is an international provider of marine dry bulk transportation services, transporting bulk cargoes, particularly grain, coal and iron ore, along worldwide shipping routes for some of the world’s largest users of marine dry bulk transportation services.