Nova Marine Carriers has placed a newbuilding order for 18 mini-bulkers.
The Swiss-Italian owner has ordered 12 vessels of 6,000-dwt and six vessels of 8,000-dwt with China's Zhejiang Xinle Shipbuilding, European shipping sources said.
The deal is estimated to be worth more than $150m en-bloc with delivery of the first of the vessels from the second half of 2019.
