Chinese dry bulk giant COSCO Shipping Bulk has added four newcastlemaxes at CSSC Qingdao Beihai Shipbuilding.

The contract was signed with China Shipbuilding Trading and ICBC Financial Leasing also involved in the deal. No price or delivery schedule has been disclosed， although shipbuilding sources have tipped the quartet for handover in 2029.

The 210，000 dwt vessels will have designs prepared for future conversion to methanol or ammonia propulsion.

The latest deal is COSCO Shipping Bulk’s second newcastlemax order at Beihai this year. The company signed for three ships of the same size in January， with delivery expected in the second quarter of 2029.

It’s reported that the January trio would also be able to carry containers alongside traditional dry bulk and general cargoes. COSCO Shipping Bulk had previously booked two 209，800 dwt units at the yard for delivery in 2027.

The quartet adds to a wider dry bulk ordering drive across the COSCO group. COSCO Shipping Development earlier this month unveiled an RMB8.66bn ($1.27bn) programme covering 24 bulkers that will be leased to a COSCO Shipping Bulk subsidiary on 20-year deals.