Norwegian shipowner Eitzen Eco Bulk has ordered up to nine handysize dry bulk carriers, including options, from Chinese yard Yangzhou Guoyu Shipbuilding.
The 38,000 dwt log fitted newbuilding bulkers cost approximately $21m each. Delivery schedule for the new ships was unclear.
The new handysizes are based on a new eco-friendly design termed 'Green Dolphin', co-developed by China's Shanghai Merchant Ship Design & Research Institute (Sdari) and classification society DNV.
The developers claimed that the 'Green Dolphin' can reduce bunker fuel consumption by about five metric tonnes a day compared to similar conventional vessels.