Singapore-based Chinese capesize specialist Winning International Group has moved to further bolster its West Africa to China seaborne trade with an order for six very large ore carriers (VLOCs) worth nearly $700m.

Following the order for two VLOCs at CSSC yard Qingdao Beihai Shipbuilding last September， Winning has booked the sextet at Hengli Heavy Industry， with shipbuilding sources suggesting deliveries kicking off in the second half of 2027 and a price tag of around $116m per vessel.

The so-called WinningMax 325，000 dwt newbuilds， classed by the China Classification Society and DNV， will be nearly 330 m long and methanol-ready with 12，000 cu m fuel storage tanks. Compared with traditional capes， the newbuilds are expected to reduce energy consumption per tonne-mile by nearly 50%.

Winning owns and operates one of the largest bulk carrier fleets in Singapore， with almost 100 vessels， of which 51 are owned. The company is currently the world’s top bauxite carrier and is mainly engaged in the developments in Guinea， with an annual shipment of more than 50m tons.

During the second quarter， Greek broker Intermodal described an “unprecedented surge” in bauxite exports from Guinea， reaching a new record high of 38.01m tons， most of which headed to China. Bauxite is the only minor ore transported by capesizes and an essential mineral for aluminium. China’s primary aluminium production has also set a new record， achieving 17.77m tons in the first five months of 2024， a 5.4% increase compared to the previous record set in 2023 for the same period.