An order for two 81,200-dwt bulk carriers has been placed with Japanese builders by Dubai’s expansion minded ETA-Ascon group.

A price has not been disclosed but Universal Shipbuilding Corp would likely be looking for about $36m each for the 2009 delivery vessels. Japanese yard minded ETA-Ascon now has eight newbuildings on order.

The 75,000-dwt Pearl of Jebel Ali (built 2002).
These include four 83,000-dwt bulk carriers contracted with Universal’s Maizuru yard and with Sanoyas Mizushima for delivery in 2009, an 80,000-dwt bulker for delivery by Imabari’s Marugame yard in 2008 and a 298,000-dwt VLCC that Universal’s Ariake yard is scheduled to hand over in 2010.

ETA-Ascon