en.Wedoany.com Reported - On July 2, Yangfan Group Co., Ltd. and Yangzhou Guoyu Shipbuilding Co., Ltd. signed a contract for the construction of two 5,700-capacity car carriers, marking a joint effort to deepen their presence in the high-end roll-on/roll-off niche market and support the low-carbon transformation of global shipping.
This is another major collaboration between the two parties following the signing of a contract for eight 4,800 TEU container ships in September 2025. The previous container ship project, built on mature construction techniques and meticulous project management, has progressed steadily, laying a solid foundation of trust for this deeper cooperation. Expanding from container ships to car carriers, the scope of their partnership continues to broaden, further highlighting the advantages of industrial synergy.
The 5,700-capacity eco-friendly and intelligent car carrier signed in this contract was independently developed by the Shanghai Merchant Ship Design and Research Institute and will be classed by the China Classification Society. The new vessel has an overall length of 190 meters, a beam of 35.6 meters, a structural draft of 9.5 meters, and a deadweight of approximately 13,500 tons. It features 11 vehicle decks (including three hoistable decks), with a total deck area of about 48,200 square meters, capable of carrying 5,700 standard passenger cars. The ship is equipped with the next-generation Everllence B&W 6S50ME-C10.7-DI-EcoEGR main engine, with a maximum continuous power output of 11,400 kW and a range of up to 12,900 nautical miles. Meeting the highest NOx Tier III emission standards, it is a benchmark vessel for low-carbon deep-sea roll-on/roll-off transportation.
According to the plan, both parties will steadily advance project implementation, strictly control construction quality and delivery milestones, and ensure the vessels are completed and delivered with high quality. In the future, they will further expand joint research, development, and construction of multiple ship types, driving the upgrade of China's high-end shipbuilding industry through technological innovation and exporting more high-quality "Intelligent Manufacturing in China" vessels to the global market, continuously empowering green shipping development.
It is worth noting that this is Guoyu Shipbuilding's first project to build car carriers.
Public information shows that Guoyu Shipbuilding was established in June 2005 and is located in the Yizheng Economic Development Zone, Yangzhou City, Jiangsu Province. It was originally a wholly-owned subsidiary of Wuhan Guoyu Logistics Industry Group, with a total investment of 1.5 billion yuan. The company has four slipways and a maximum lifting capacity of 800 tons, capable of building vessels of up to 100,000 deadweight tons, including cargo ships, oil tankers, and chemical tankers, with an annual shipbuilding capacity of approximately 2 million deadweight tons.
Affected by the downturn in the shipbuilding market in the previous cycle, Guoyu Shipbuilding faced cash flow difficulties in 2015. Subsequently, its parent company, Guoyu Logistics, experienced a debt crisis, leading to a halt in production at the shipyard and the cancellation of orders for over 10 export vessels by overseas shipowners. In November 2021, Guoyu Shipbuilding entered bankruptcy reorganization proceedings. In July 2024, the reorganization plan, with D1 Investment as the restructuring investor, was approved by the court. Guoyu Shipbuilding completed its reorganization and fully resumed production, beginning its transformation toward building high-value-added vessels.
Currently, after its restart, Guoyu Shipbuilding has shifted from primarily building bulk carriers to gradually focusing on high-value-added ship types such as container ships and chemical tankers. According to data from Clarksons, as of now, Guoyu Shipbuilding holds an order book totaling 55 vessels with 3.44 million deadweight tons, including 35 container ships, 19 oil tankers, and one bulk carrier, with delivery schedules extending to 2028.
In contrast, Yangfan Group has extensive experience in building car carriers. Founded in 1952 and headquartered in Zhoushan, Zhejiang Province, Yangfan Group is a large-scale shipbuilding enterprise integrating ship design, construction, and marine equipment, and is a leading company in Zhejiang Province's shipbuilding industry. In 2006, the company completed its restructuring and joined the Beijing Jianlong Heavy Industry Group.
Yangfan Group covers a total area of 1.18 million square meters, with a total shoreline of 2,100 meters. Its subsidiaries include the shipbuilding subsidiary Zhejiang East Coast Shipbuilding Co., Ltd., the marine equipment subsidiary Zhejiang Yangfan General Machinery Manufacturing Co., Ltd., and the Yangfan Group Ship Design and Research Institute. Yangfan Group has an annual shipbuilding capacity of 1.5 million deadweight tons, with main products including large and medium-sized car carriers, feeder container ships, large and medium-sized bulk carriers, chemical tankers, and handy multi-purpose vessels.
