Greek dry bulk owner Safe Bulkers has returned to the newbuilding market, agreeing to acquire two kamsarmaxes from Chinese yards.
The New York-listed company said the vessels will be 82,500 dwt units, with deliveries scheduled for the third quarter of 2028 and the first quarter of 2029. Pricing was not disclosed.
The newbuilds will be designed to meet IMO Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI) Phase 3 requirements and comply with NOx Tier III emissions standards. Safe Bulkers said the ships will be sister vessels to units already trading in its fleet, featuring improved fuel efficiency and lower consumption.
The order follows a period of fleet reshaping for the owner, which sold two kamsarmaxes last year. Its most recent newbuilding orders before this deal were placed in 2024.
Safe Bulkers has already taken delivery of 12 bulk carriers built to IMO GHG Phase 3 and NOx Tier III standards, as it continues to modernise its fleet.
Including the latest deal, the company’s orderbook now stands at eight vessels. These include two methanol dual-fuel ships, with deliveries spread across 2026 to 2029.
As of September 2025, Safe Bulkers operated a fleet of 45 dry bulk vessels, comprising panamax, kamsarmax, post-panamax and capesize units, with an average age of just over 10 years. President Loukas Barmparis said the newbuilds fit squarely with the company’s renewal strategy, aimed at boosting competitiveness and resilience while keeping one of the more modern and fuel-efficient dry bulk fleets in the market.
