Singapore-listed Uni-Asia Group has expanded its handysize newbuilding programme in Japan, signing an agreement with Nihon Shipyard and an affiliate for a second 40,000 dwt bulk carrier.

The vessel will be constructed by Imabari Shipbuilding, with delivery scheduled between the fourth quarter of 2029 and the first half of 2030. The contract price has not been disclosed. The delivery window — extending into the next decade — underscores how slot availability at major Japanese shipyards has stretched amid a multi-year wave of bulk carrier ordering.

According to Uni-Asia, the new ship will be equipped with a fuel-efficient engine and a dual-fuel-ready design, enabling a future retrofit for alternative fuels. Dual-fuel-ready designs have become increasingly common in newbuilding contracts as shipowners prepare for tightening international emissions regulations under IMO frameworks. Handysize bulkers of this class serve regional and minor bulk trades — including grains, cement, fertiliser, and steel products — and their relatively shallow draft gives them access to a wide range of ports that larger vessel classes cannot reach, making fuel efficiency upgrades particularly relevant for operators serving diverse trade routes.

This latest order follows Uni-Asia's return to the newbuilding market in March, after an absence of more than a decade. That initial deal, also arranged through Nihon Shipyard, covered a 40,000 dwt handysize bulker to be built by Imabari Shipbuilding at its Shimanami yard, with delivery expected in the second half of 2028. Nihon Shipyard is the joint venture formed by Imabari Shipbuilding and Japan Marine United to consolidate Japan's commercial shipbuilding operations, and has become a central contracting channel for large-scale Japanese newbuilding projects.

As Splash reported at the time, Uni-Asia's previous newbuilding order before the March contract dated back to 2015, when the company ordered the bulker Sider Montediprocida, which joined the fleet in 2020.

In the intervening years, Uni-Asia has pursued fleet renewal through a combination of secondhand vessel acquisitions and the disposal of older ships. The company is listed on the Singapore Exchange and is involved in bulk shipping and maritime-related investments.