State-owned Chengxi Shipyard has landed its first-ever contract to build reefer containership newbuildings.

The Jiangyin-based shiprepair and shipbuilding company has secured an order for a pair of 2,500-teu containerships with reefer-plug capacity for 910 units of 40-foot (feu) from US fruit giant Dole, said a shipbuilding player familiar with the company. The deal does not include any options.

The China State Shipbuilding Corp yard declined to confirm whether Dole had ordered the newbuildings, citing contract confidentiality.