By Ma Zhenhuan (China Daily)
Updated: 2008-02-01 09:44

Italian shipping company Rizzo-Bottiglieri-De Carlini Armatori SpA offered a $180 million contract on Wednesday to Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipyard for two 177,000-dwt ships.

"These will be the largest ships in our fleet. With them, we will develop a deep and stable commercial relationship with China, especially with its major steelmakers," said Giuseppe Mauro Rizzo, managing director of RBD Armatori, adding that China's shipping community is very valuable for them.

In the past two years, RBD Armatori has ordered four 110,000-ton Aframax tankers and four 87,500-ton Post Panamax bulk carriers from Shanghai Hudong Zhonghua Shipyard, worth a total of $450 million. All the ships will be delivered between 2009 and 2011.

With the latest contract, the Italian shipping major has ordered 10 vessels from Chinese shipbuilders worth about $650 million. All orders went to shipyards under the State-owned CSSC group.

RBD Armatori also ordered two 108,000-ton Aframax tankers and four 83,000-ton Kamsarmax bulk carriers, valued at $350 million, from Tsuneishi Shipbuilding Company of Japan for delivery in 2011.

"The quality of these ships is very competitive and we believe the Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipyard is one of the top shipbuilders in the world for making very large ships," said Rizzo.

"I am proud to be the first Italian ship owner to have ordered Capesize bulk carriers from China and also to have our ships built at the highly advanced facility of Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipyard on Changxing Island, which will soon represent the most advanced shipbuilding plant in the world.

"We intend to continue with our new building program in China and for this reason we are strengthening our relationship with reputable shipyards such as SWS and Hudong."

RBD Armatori is fully owned by the Rizzo, Bottiglieri and De Carlini families and has been in the shipping business since 1850. Today the company operates a fleet of about 50 ships, transporting about 30 million tons per year, enjoying an annual turnover of about 600 million euros.

The group also owns hotels and mineral water brands in Italy.