Yangzijiang Maritime has secured leasing agreements for 13 of its vessels. As at Dec 31, 2025, the group has 85 vessels in its maritime asset portfolio including newbuilding orders.
The leases, which range from one to eight years, have a total contract value of US$89.9 million ($114.2 million). They will generate recurring income over the lease period, says the group in its April 14 statement.
In addition, the group says it intends to optimise its overall investment returns through “disciplined asset selection” and “prudent credit risk management”.
The group explains that it is able to acquire newbuilds of up to 20% below prevailing first-tier market prices by leveraging its connections with second- and third-tier Chinese shipyards and by procuring major equipment and in-house technical oversight to ensure quality control.
The newbuilds are then pre-sold to new buyers for capital gains, if the investment return targets are met. Alternatively, these will be chartered for recurring income.
The strategy is also used for existing vessels under the group’s maritime portfolio.
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“The fundamental outlook for the maritime industry remains resilient, underpinned by structural shifts in trade dynamics,” says Ren Yuanlin, executive chairman and CEO. “We are observing a significant ‘tonnage-mile’ effect as geopolitical tensions force vessels to navigate longer, more complex routes, thereby limiting the capacity of global shipping.”
“The contraction in constrained shipyard capacity, evolving maritime conditions and sustained demand from global trade flows have necessitated a vital fleet renewal cycle to maintain the seamless flow of international commerce, providing a highly favourable environment for our maritime asset portfolio,” he adds.
The lease agreements are expected to contribute positively to the group’s financial performance throughout the duration of these contracts.
Shares in Yangzijiang Maritime closed 3.5 cents higher or 5.65% up at 65.5 cents on April 14.
