Four owners order tankers at China Merchants

Four European and Canadian shipowners have jointly ordered four new product tankers in China. The vessels will be built at China Merchants Jinling Shipyard in Yangzhou for delivery during 2028 and 2029, according to a report from Splash.

Two of the 17,999 dwt newbuilds will go to FureBear, a joint venture between Sweden's Furetank and Canada's Algoma Central Corporation. Swedish owner Älvtank is taking another vessel, while Norway's O.H. Meling is joining the Vinga shipbuilding programme for the first time.

All four tankers will fly the Swedish flag. They will enter the Gothia Tanker Alliance and be commercially managed by Furetank Chartering. No contract price has been disclosed.

Order Details and Fleet Strategy

For O.H. Meling, the order serves as a replacement strategy. The Norwegian company stated its two existing intermediate tankers are nearing the 20-year age threshold for trading in the European tanker market.

Älvtank already owns three Vinga-series ships. The latest order will increase its exposure to four vessels. The company said it sees continued demand for intermediate tonnage as European liquid bulk trades shift increasingly towards biofuels, renewable feedstocks and chemicals.

The Expanding Vinga Series

The new contracts extend a long-running shipbuilding programme. The series had reached 21 ships by February 2024, when Furetank added another two units for delivery at the end of 2026. At that time, Splash reported that 19 of the 21 vessels would be commercially managed by Furetank, with 14 fully operated by the Swedish owner.

This new four-ship order pushes the total Vinga tally to 26 vessels. This more than doubles the programme from the level reported by Splash four years ago. In July 2022, Splash reported Furetank's order for what was then the 11th Vinga-class tanker. Later that year, Furetank and Algoma doubled their FureBear joint venture programme from four to eight ships, all built at the same Yangzhou yard.

Vessel Specifications

Developed by Furetank with FKAB Marine Design, the vessels are ice-class 1A tankers. They feature 12 cargo tanks and can run on LNG, liquid biomethane, or gasoil. The design also incorporates battery-hybrid systems and shore-power capability.

For logistics professionals tracking fleet expansions, this order adds four modern, dual-fuel vessels to future fixtures. The growth of this specific series, now at 26 ships, is a notable trend in the product tanker stats.