Union Maritime has added nine vessels across five different ship types to its rapidly expanding newbuilding programme, with Chinese yards taking five of the latest ships as the London-based owner continues to diversify well beyond its traditional tanker business.

Union Maritime has disclosed nine more newbuildings spanning large dry bulk carriers, product tankers, chemical tankers and handysize bulkers, taking its listed construction programme to 79 vessels.

The latest additions comprise two 211,000-dwt Newcastlemax bulk carriers at Wuhu Shipyard, two 49,800-dwt MR product tankers at Jingjiang Nanyang Shipbuilding, one LR2 tanker at Guangzhou Shipyard International (GSI), two 19,900-dwt stainless-steel chemical tankers at Japan’s Fukuoka Shipbuilding and two 40,000-dwt handysize bulkers at Imabari Shipbuilding, according to Splash and Union Maritime’s own fleet data.

No contract prices have been disclosed.

The two Newcastlemaxes are scheduled for delivery in 2029, while the Jingjiang Nanyang MR pair and the GSI LR2 are due in 2027. The Fukuoka ships are listed for delivery in 2028 and 2029, while the Imabari bulkers are scheduled for 2027 and 2029.

Wuhu relationship expands again

The latest Newcastlemax pair takes Union Maritime’s programme at Wuhu Shipyard to six 211,000-dwt vessels.

Union Maritime’s fleet list identifies the ships as hull numbers W2691 to W2696, with the first units scheduled for 2028 delivery and the remainder following in 2029.

The programme represents a significant expansion of Union Maritime’s dry bulk exposure. When the company was first linked to the Wuhu Newcastlemax project earlier this year, market reports described the initial deal as two firm vessels plus two options, with prices indicated at around $76m per ship.

The latest fleet list suggests that the programme has since grown beyond that initial structure.

China also secured all three product tanker additions in the latest batch. Jingjiang Nanyang will build the two 49,800-dwt MRs, while GSI is listed with a 112,000-dwt LR2, hull 23110054, for delivery in 2027.

From tanker specialist to multi-segment owner

The nine ships are another step in a much broader fleet transformation.

Union Maritime’s current fleet list shows 185 vessels, including 79 newbuildings and 106 ships already in operation. The construction programme now spans product and crude tankers, chemical carriers, bulkers and large gas carriers.

That is a notable change for a company founded by chief executive Laurent Cadji in 2006 with a focus on oil product logistics in West Africa. Union Maritime has since expanded across tanker sizes while progressively adding dry bulk, offshore and, more recently, gas carrier exposure.

China remains central to that expansion.

Union Maritime’s China Investor Day materials previously reviewed by Xinde Marine News showed 48 newbuildings spread across 10 Chinese shipyards, covering yards in Anhui, Fujian, Shandong, Jiangsu and Liaoning. Wuhu alone accounted for 18 vessels across MR tankers, Newcastlemax bulkers and intermediate chemical/product tankers.

The company has also moved into large gas carriers this year, with its fleet list showing two 88,000-cbm ships at New Yangzi Shipbuilding for delivery in 2029 and 2030, alongside two 90,000-dwt gas carriers at HD Hyundai Heavy Industries.

The latest nine-ship package therefore reinforces a strategy that is becoming increasingly clear: Union Maritime is no longer building around a single tanker cycle.

Instead, its future fleet is being spread across several shipping markets—and across shipyards capable of delivering very different vessel types—from Newcastlemax bulkers and LR2 tankers to stainless-steel chemical carriers and large gas ships.