Hengli Heavy Industry, a Liaoning-based shipbuilder, has secured construction contracts for six very large ammonia carriers (VLACs) from three international shipowners within one week, its parent company Hengli Group said on Wednesday. Four of the vessels have a capacity of 93,000 cubic metres, while the other two have an 88,000-cubic-metre capacity.

Hengli said the breakthrough, combined with its in-house capabilities, had given the company “a differentiated competitive edge ... in areas such as delivery timelines and construction costs”.

Also on Wednesday, Shanghai-based Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding secured a contract from Cosco Shipping Development to build 10 bulk carriers of 210,000 deadweight tonnage (dwt), worth 5.28 billion yuan (US$781.31 million), according to the buyer. The Jiangsu-based Nantong Xiangyu Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering would build another five vessels for the company under a separate 2.64 billion yuan contract.

The slew of new orders comes amid China’s broader expansion in global shipbuilding, as the country continues to strengthen its position across both traditional and higher-value vessel segments.