Paper manufacturer Asia Pulp & Paper (APP) is making a big push in the woodchip carrier segment with newbuildings — tripling the number of vessels it has on order by signing up for four ships at a yard in Japan.

Well-placed sources said the Indonesian company has placed an order for four 70,000-dwt woodchip carriers at Oshima Shipbuilding. They added that the Nagasaki-based shipyard is slated to deliver the quartet between 2022 and 2023.