Greek shipowner Lavinia Bulkers, controlled by Panos Laskaridis, has placed an order with China's Zhoushan Changhong International for four 212,000 DWT Newcastlemax bulk carriers, according to shipping brokerage reports. Each vessel is priced at approximately $78 million, bringing the total contract value to about $312 million, with deliveries expected in 2030. The agreement was reportedly finalized last week. The order represents Lavinia Bulkers' first Newcastlemax newbuilding in 13 years, following six vessels of the same class ordered from Chinese and South Korean yards in 2013, all still in service. In recent years the company had concentrated on smaller tonnage, ordering eight Kamsarmax bulk carriers between 2023 and 2024 at China Merchants Shipbuilding Industry Qingdao Shipyard, COSCO Shipping Heavy Industry yards, and Jiangsu Hantong Ship Heavy Industry Co., Ltd., five of which have already been delivered. Sister company Lavinia Tankers has also ordered four 157,000 DWT Suezmax tankers from DH Shipbuilding this year, worth $89 million each, for 2029 delivery. For Zhoushan Changhong International, the deal marks its first large overseas bulk carrier contract since 2014 and follows its re-entry into the sector in August 2026 with a two-vessel order from New Yangtze Navigation, ending a 17-year absence from bulk carrier construction. The yard, established in 2009, has recently focused on container ships, tankers and car carriers, working with clients including Mediterranean Shipping Company, TMS Group and Global Car Carriers. It operates three shipbuilding bases in Zhoushan with combined annual capacity exceeding 5 million deadweight tons.