Recently, Swiss dry bulk shipowner Suisse-Atlantique placed an additional order for two 40,500 DWT open-hatch bulk carriers at Jiangmen Nanyang Ship Engineering Co., Ltd. With this latest order, the shipowner’s total bulk carrier orderbook at Jiangmen Nanyang has increased to seven vessels. All the new vessels are scheduled for delivery progressively between the third quarter of 2028 and the first quarter of 2029.

Suisse-Atlantique finalized orders for five Ultramax bulk carriers at Jiangmen Nanyang between late 2025 and March 2026. Contract prices, propulsion configurations and exact delivery dates for the two newly added 40,500 DWT open-hatch bulk carriers have not yet been disclosed.

The newly added 40,500 DWT open-hatch bulk carriers feature a box-shaped hull design, offering greater cargo adaptability. In addition to conventional dry bulk cargoes, they can flexibly carry general cargo, project equipment and other cargoes, broadening the shipowner’s operational scenarios. This order also marks the first time Suisse-Atlantique has placed newbuilding orders with a Chinese shipyard. Previously, its newbuildings were mainly constructed by shipyards in Japan, Vietnam and the Philippines.

Notably, not all seven vessels under construction are funded solely by Suisse-Atlantique. The newbuilding project combines its own funds with a joint investment model involving external investors. Regardless of the funding parties, Suisse-Atlantique will supervise the construction of all seven vessels throughout and assume full technical management of the vessels after delivery. Through this project, the shipowner continues to expand its third-party ship management business alongside its owned vessels and chartering operations.

In terms of fleet, Suisse-Atlantique currently owns and operates 12 bulk carriers, including 2 Handysize, 6 Ultramax and 4 Post-Panamax vessels, built between 2011 and 2021. Meanwhile, its freight division also manages a larger fleet of owned and chartered-in vessels.

Jiangmen Nanyang is a leading private shipbuilder in Guangdong. Founded in 2005, it is located at Yinzhou Lake in Xinhui, Jiangmen. Its two yards cover 915 mu (about 61 hectares), with a total workshop area of 140,000 square meters. It is capable of building vessels of up to 100,000 DWT and has an annual shipbuilding capacity of 1.6 million DWT. The company has long focused on the bulk carrier segment below 100,000 DWT. Its 40,500 DWT Handysize bulk carrier is a flagship product. Known in the industry as the “Nanyang type,” it has become an international standard ship type, with more than 100 units delivered, and ranks first globally in the energy-efficient Handysize bulk carrier niche market.

In 2026, overseas shipowner orders have continued to be secured by Jiangmen Nanyang, as overseas customers continue to recognize its Handysize and Ultramax bulk carrier products. The total of seven bulk carrier orders placed by Switzerland-based Suisse-Atlantique in two batches is a representative project among the company’s orders this year.

Public data show that, including this latest order, Jiangmen Nanyang currently has an orderbook of 148 vessels, comprising 71 64,500 DWT bulk carriers, 75 40,500 DWT bulk carriers and 2 40,000 DWT bulk carriers. Its delivery schedule has already been booked through 2030, giving it a strong order backlog.