Diversified UK owner Union Maritime has been linked to its first newcastlemax bulker order， with brokers reporting a provisional deal in China for up to four 215，000 dwt vessels.

Newbuilding sources said the Laurent Cadji-led company has signed up at around $76m per ship for two firm units plus two options at Wuhu Shipyard， with deliveries slated for 2028. If confirmed， the order would mark Union Maritime’s entry into the capesize-plus newbuilding segment as it builds out its dry bulk presence alongside its sizeable tanker fleet.

The deal is also notable for the yard. Wuhu Shipyard， the largest builder in Anhui province， is leasing drydock capacity at the former Jiangsu Rongsheng Heavy Industries site in Nantong. Rongsheng， once China’s largest private shipbuilder， collapsed in 2014 after an aggressive expansion drive that included valemax construction.

Under the new arrangement struck in early 2026， Wuhu is taking on two of Rongsheng’s four large drydocks， allowing it to build vessels over 100，000 dwt， including newcastlemax bulkers and VLCCs. Greek owner Navios Maritime has also been linked to newbuilding deal at the revived site， for up to four 310，000 dwt crude carriers.

Union Maritime is best known for its modern tanker fleet， ranging from intermediate to aframax/LR2 size， and controls more than 70 vessels. The outfit also has an orderbook of over 30 ships， most of which in recent years have been chemical and product tankers， including multiple units previously ordered at Wuhu Xinlian.

In dry bulk， the company controls around 10 vessels， from ultramaxes to newcastlemax size. Its only existing newcastlemax is the 2016-built Cape Rigi (pictured)， formerly Hinrich Oldendorff， acquired in 2024， according to S&P data. The company last ordered bulkers in 2023， when it signed for ultramaxes at New Dayang.