China-based Jiangzhou Union shipbuilding yard has signed contracts for two 12,500dwt multipurpose heavy lift vessels from returning German owners.

The vessels were ordered by Hamburg's Auerbach Schifffahrt Gmbh and will be constructed under hull numbers JZ1067 and JZ1068 with deliveries pencilled in from late 2016.

The multipurpose vessels, known as the F-500 series, have been developed to provide maximum efficiency with the aim to reduce fuel consumption as much as possible.

This includes redesigning the vessels hull lines, as well as the whole propulsion and energy systems, which includes the main engine, rudder, and propeller.

A feature of these vessels is the 76.5m x 17.6m long cargo hatch leading to a box-shaped cargo hold. The loading gear consists of two Liebherr cranes giving a combined lifting capacity of 500 tonnes.

The vessel owners initial order for this vessel type was placed in mid-2013, with steel cutting for the first in the series taking place in October 2014.