Recently, Fujian Shipbuilding Group’s subsidiary Mawei Shipbuilding officially signed a construction contract with Shanghai Kaichuang Deep Sea Fisheries Co., Ltd. for two 79.8-meter tuna purse seine vessels, marking a new phase of cooperation between the two parties in the field of deep-sea fishing equipment.
It is reported that the construction price of each new vessel is RMB 183.75 million. One contract takes immediate effect, while the other remains temporarily inactive, with Shanghai Kaichuang retaining the right to make a decision within 80 working days after signing. The delivery dates for the two vessels are March 14, 2027, and April 14, 2027, respectively.
The new 79.8-meter tuna purse seine vessels will adopt internationally advanced design concepts, equipped with intelligent fishing systems and energy-saving propulsion systems, capable of meeting the high-intensity operational demands of fishing grounds such as the Western and Central Pacific. The project will significantly enhance the modernization level of the shipowner’s fleet, supporting China’s deep-sea fishing industry in transitioning toward greener and smarter development.
Shanghai Kaichuang is a leading enterprise in China’s deep-sea fishing sector, and this collaboration represents a strategic alignment of both parties’ strengths. The company will use the two new vessels to replace the “Jin Hui 7,” which was dismantled in 2020, and the “Jin Hui 6,” which remains in service but is in poor overall condition. This upgrade will improve the safety and fishing technology of the production vessels, enhancing the tuna purse seine fleet’s operational capacity and overall profitability.
According to reports, Shanghai Kaichuang International Ocean Resources Co., Ltd. was approved by the China Securities Regulatory Commission on December 8, 2008, when Shanghai Deep Sea Fisheries Co., Ltd. listed its wholly-owned subsidiary, Shanghai Kaichuang Deep Sea Fisheries Co., Ltd., on the Shanghai A-share market, with a registered capital of RMB 202.59 million.
As the sole subsidiary of Kaichuang International, Shanghai Kaichuang Deep Sea Fisheries Co., Ltd. is primarily engaged in deep-sea fishing, aquatic product processing and sales, and related trade. The company owns 12 large tuna purse seine vessels and 2 large trawler-processor vessels, serving as the head of the Large Tuna Purse Seine Working Group and deputy head of the Large Trawler-Processor Working Group under the China Deep Sea Fishing Association. It has wholly acquired or holds controlling stakes in several domestic and international companies, including Spain’s Hijos de Carlos Albo, S.L., Trans-Pacific Foods (Marshall Islands) Inc., Trans-Pacific Fisheries (Marshall Islands) Inc., Kang Long (Hong Kong) Shipping Co., Ltd., Asia Pacific Tuna Pte. Ltd., Vincent Fisheries (Micronesia) Inc., Canada’s FRENCH CREEK SEAFOOD, and the newly established Zhousan Huantai Ocean Food Co., Ltd.
This signing not only strengthens Fujian Shipbuilding’s brand influence within the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission but also further consolidates its leading position in China’s high-end fishing vessel construction market.
As a benchmark enterprise in high-end fishing vessel construction in China, Fujian Shipbuilding has established significant technological and scale advantages in the tuna purse seine vessel sector. To date, the company has secured orders for over 14 vessels of this type, with 11 successfully delivered and 3 currently under construction, maintaining a leading market share. Through serialized and batch production, Fujian Shipbuilding has accumulated extensive experience in key areas such as hull optimization, energy efficiency, and fishing system integration. Its vessels are widely recognized by domestic and international enterprises for their “high efficiency, low energy consumption, and high reliability.”
This collaboration not only reflects the customer’s recognition of Fujian Shipbuilding’s technical capabilities but also represents a joint effort to actively respond to China’s “Maritime Power” strategy and promote the modernization of deep-sea fishing. Leveraging its deep expertise in specialized vessel construction, Fujian Shipbuilding will continue to optimize hull designs and improve construction techniques to create a new generation of high-quality deep-sea fishing projects. Moving forward, both parties will deepen cooperation to explore new models for technological innovation in deep-sea fishing equipment and coordinated industrial chain development, injecting new momentum into the upgrading of China’s deep-sea fishing equipment and the high-quality growth of the marine economy.
Excluding the latest order, Clarksons data shows that Mawei Shipbuilding currently holds an orderbook of 46 vessels totaling 1.2368 million deadweight tons, including 15 offshore vessels, 11 bulk carriers, 12 liquid cargo ships, 6 car carriers, 1 container ship, and 1 other vessel, with deliveries scheduled through 2029.
