Russian yard Krasnoye Sormovo has clinched a new order for 15 dry cargo vessels.
The river-sea ships will be built within a year, according to Alexei Rakhmanov, head of its parent United Shipbuilding Corporation (USC), who was quoted by the Kommersant daily.
State Transport Leasing Company (STLC) may become involved in the contract financing.
Earlier this year, USC said it was expecting to sign a deal to build 50 river-sea dry cargoships to bring in revenue of more than $600m.