Seacon Shipping rolls in the tide with three newbuilds

Over the span of three days, Qingdao-headquartered shipowner Seacon Shipping has launched a methanol-ready 18,500 dwt chemical/oil tanker and a 42,000 dwt bulk carrier, and welcomed a 13,500 dwt multipurpose vessel.

As disclosed, the Chinese shipowner’s eco-friendly tanker was built by compatriot Fujian Shipbuilding’s Southeast Shipyard. The unit touched the water on January 19, 2025. It is understood that the vessel is the ‘first’ newbuilding oil/chemical tanker to have secured its spot in Seacon Shipping Group’s fleet.

According to Seacon, the tanker is 149.8 meters long, featuring a beam of 22.8 meters, and a depth of 12.7 meters. The IMO Tier III-compliant vessel has the capability to run on both conventional fuel and methanol, with the possibility of upgrading it in the future to operate using clean methanol fuel only.

The company shared that the newbuilding boasts a shallow 8.5-meter draft and large cargo capacity, described as “essential” for meeting the requirements for unrestricted navigation areas. The ship is set to transport products like petroleum, vegetable oil and category II and III IBC-compliant bulk chemicals.

The following day—January 20, 2025—a launch and christening ceremony was held for the 42,000 dwt bulker that Japan’s Tsuneishi Shipbuilding built. Named Seacon Liverpool, the unit boasts a length of 180 meters, a beam of 32.2 meters and a gross tonnage of 26,700 tons.

As per the China-based shipowner, this Tier III-compliant unit was built with both sustainability and fuel efficiency in mind. It is scheduled to transport iron ore, grain, coal, hot-rolled coils, sulfur as well as products like timber and other goods.

Seacon’s third ‘milestone’ was marked by the delivery of the Seacon Nagoya, a 13,500 dwt Liberia-flagged multipurpose vessel booked in May 2023 and built by Japanese company Murakami Hide Shipbuilding. The vessel was christened and handed over on January 21, 2025.

A sister vessel to Seacon Yokohama, which entered service in September 2023, the third newbuild features a length of 122.9 meters, a beam of 21.2 meters and a draft of 9 meters, according to London-based data provider VesselsValue.

In September 2023, Seacon Shipping shook hands with the Japanese Namura Shipbuilding for the construction of two fuel-efficient 40,000 dwt bulkers, paying approximately $33.48 million per unit. The carriers are slated for a handover by the end of October 2025.

That same month, the company signed a strategic cooperation agreement with Columbia Shipmanagement (CSM), a member of Columbia Group. As per the agreement, the latter committed to managing the former’s vessels as clients out of CSM’s Greece office.