Construction of James Fisher’s New Chemical Tanker Fleet Starts in China

James Fisher and Sons, a global provider of marine solutions, has marked the start of construction of its chemical tankers fleet with the laying of the keel for the first vessel, Orca Fisher, at the China Merchants Industry Yangzhou Dingheng Shipyard (YZDH).Orca Fisher is the first of four next-generation vessels - known as the Sealife class - introduced as part of James Fisher’s Fleet of the Future, a long-term program to modernize its tankships fleet with more efficient, lower-carbon vessels that support the use of alternative fuel propulsion.The new vessels - which includes Orca Fisher…
The Switch to Deliver DC-Hub, Electric PM Propulsion Machine Package to Bergen Tankers

Bergen Tankers and Equinor have signed a long-term charter agreement for two oil/chemical tanker newbuilds with an electric propulsion system, which aim to set a new standard for low emissions at the Norwegian Coast.The Norway-based companies selected Berg Propulsion as the system integrator for these DNV ice-classed tankers. The newbuild 6,500 dwt stainless steel tankers will be built by Zhoushan Dashenzhou Shipbuilding in China.The vessels will include two electric drive controllable…
Coast Guard Investigates Fires in Puerto Rico

The US Coast Guard Sector San Juan marine investigators and vessel inspection teams are investigating two separate and unrelated vessel fires in Puerto Rico.Both vessel fires were successfully extinguished, and there are currently no reports of marine pollution or reported injuries in either case.The most recent vessel fire occurred Saturday morning aboard the M/T Scot Stuttgart, a Marshall Islands flagged 383-foot chemical tank ship, while the vessel was moored at Puerto Nuevo Channel’s N Wharf.At 3:43 a.m.…
Wind and Biofuel Power Odfjell’s First Near Carbon-Neutral Transatlantic Voyage

Odfjell’s chemical tanker Bow Olympus is currently crossing the Atlantic powered by a combination of wind-assisted propulsion and a certified sustainable 100% biofuel, marking the company’s first near carbon-neutral transatlantic voyage.Real-time data from the voyage confirms that the dual propulsion approach is both technically feasible and impactful, as the vessel’s GHG emissions on the current voyage meet the 2050 Fuel EU Maritime GHG intensity targets and IMO’s GFI Direct…
Caribe Tankers to Trial Inmarsat NexusWave Connectivity Service

Inmarsat Maritime, a Viasat company, has announced Caribe Tankers USA, Inc (CTU) will trial Inmarsat’s fully managed bonded connectivity service, NexusWave, on board the chemical tankers Caribe Maria and Caribe Luna as the company seeks a reliable solution to best serve operational and crew connectivity.By combining multiple network underlays in one fully managed, bonded solution, Inmarsat’s NexusWave enables applications to leverage the aggregate capacity of all available networks rather than relying on one underlay at a time.
CMB.TECH, MOL Sign Agreement for Nine Ammonia-Powered Ships

Belgian oil tanker group CMB.TECH has signed an agreement with Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) and MOL Chemical Tankers (MOLCT) for nine ammonia-powered vessels.The vessels will be among the world's first ammonia-powered Newcastlemax bulk carriers and chemical tankers. The delivery of these ships is expected between 2026 and 2029.The landmark agreement between MOL/MOLCT, and CMB.TECH involves nine ammonia-powered ships.Three ammonia-fitted 210.000 dwt Newcastlemax bulk carriers, currently on order at Qingdao Beihai Shipyard…
Odfjell’s Chemical Tanker BOW Olympus Gets bound4blue’s Wind Propulsion

bound4blue and Odfjell have partnered to complete the first installation of a wind propulsion system for the chemical tanker specialist, with four of bound4blue’s eSAILs retrofitted on the 49’k dwt Bow OlympusThe 22-meter-tall suction sails will help the advanced vessel achieve significant fuel savings, unlocking commercial, environmental and regulatory advantage. A tailored two-step installation process was deployed to accommodate the vessel’s schedule, with the installation completed in just two days.Firstly…
Odfjell Reports Record Year Despite Market Softening

Norwegian tanker company Odfjell has reported its results for the preliminary full-year and fourth quarter of 2024 indicating a record strong year.The company has continued to perform well in the final quarter of the year despite a slightly softer market. It delivered a solid financial result in line with Q4 2023 but below record levels from the last three quarters. Time charter earnings ended at $183 million, compared to $202 million in Q3 2024.The company’s quarterly net result adjusted for one-off items was $53 million compared to $71 million in Q3 2024.During the quarter…
Baltic Exchange Enters Chemical Tanker Market

The Baltic Exchange has launched a new series of chemical and agricultural oil assessments.The Baltic Chemical and Agricultural Oil Assessments (BCAA) will be produced on a weekly basis as of February 2025. The assessments are designed to serve a segment of the freight market – across owners, charterers, brokers and trading companies.The BCAA will offer insights into a series of trade routes covering “easy-chemicals” like benzene, biofuels and caustic soda, as well as vegetable oils.
Advanced Polymer Coatings Clinches Major Hafnia Contract

Ohio headquartered manufacturer Advanced Polymer Coatings (APC) is ramping up its manufacturing operation after signing a major new contract with Hafnia, the world’s largest operator of product and chemical tankers.The deal will see APC’s MarineLINE tank coating system applied to 10 chemical tankers in the Hafnia fleet over a two-year period.The tankers that will undertake the recoating process were brought into Hafnia’s fleet through acquisitions it made in January 2022. A number of them are already coated with MarineLINE…
GTT to Design Tanks for Three New VLECs

French engineering firm GTT has booked an order from Samsung Heavy Industries for the tank design of three new very large ethane carriers (VLECs), bound to become the world’s largest VLECs.The three ethane carriers will each feature a total capacity of 100,000 m3 and will be fitted with GTT’s Mark III membrane containment system.The VLECs will be able to trade various types of liquefied gases such as Ethane, ethylene, propane, butane, LPG and Propylene.The increase in cargo tank capacity from the previous 98…
Al Seer Marine Expands Fleet with Two New Tankers

Abu Dhabi's Al Seer Marine, a subsidiary of International Holding Company (IHC), has taken delivery of two new Medium Range (MR) tankers, M.T. Saiph and her sister ship from K Shipbuilding Korea.Each vessel is equipped with an Exhaust Gas Cleaning System (EGCS) and engineered to accommodate alternative fuels such as Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG), ammonia, and methanol.With a deadweight of 49,757 MT each, the two modern vessels are IMO II/III oil and chemical tankers carefully engineered…
ADNOC L&S Inks $4.4B Deals for 23 New Supertankers

ADNOC Logistics & Services signed contracts worth $4.4 billion to build 23 supertankers for ethane, ammonia and liquefied natural gas, the UAE's state news agency reported on Thursday.ADNOC's CEO Abdulkareem Al Masabi said the company through its AW Shipping joint venture awarded contracts worth $1.9 billion to build nine Very Large Ethane Carriers (VLECs) and four Very Large Ammonia Carriers (VLACs) with Jiangnan Shipyard in China.ADNOC L&S also signed contracts worth $2.5 billion with Korea’s Samsung Heavy Industries and Hanwha Ocean to build up to 10 LNG carriers…
AW Shipping Places $250M Order to Chinese Shipyard for Two New VLACs

AW Shipping, a joint venture between ADNOC L&S and Wanhua Chemical Group, has awarded contracts worth $250 million to China’s Jiangnan Shipyard for two additional Very Large Ammonia Carriers (VLACs).The VLACs each have a carrying capacity of 93,000 cubic meters of ammonia, making them among the largest ammonia carriers in the world.Scheduled to be delivered between 2027 and 2028, the vessels will be equipped with energy-efficient dual-fuel engines capable of operating on liquefied petroleum gas or conventional fuels.
Wärtsilä Lands System Order from Chinese Shipyard for Five New VLECs

Technology group Wärtsilä has secured an order from Jiangnan Shipyard to supply cargo handling and fuel gas supply systems for five new very large ethane carrier (VLEC) vessels.The ships are being built for Chinese owners. The order follows a similar order for cargo handling and fuel gas supply systems placed by the yard in 2023 for four VLECs.The new 99,000 m3 capacity VLECs are mainly designed to transport ethane, and will use ethane as fuel.As part of the cargo handling and fuel gas supply systems scope…
GTT Lands Tank Design Order for Six Ultra Large Ethane Carriers

French engineering company GTT has received an order from its partner Jiangnan Shipyard (Group) for the tank design of six Ultra Large Ethane Carriers (ULEC), on behalf of ship-owner Eastern Pacific Shipping.GTT will design the tanks of these unique ULEC, which will each offer a capacity of 150,000 m3, the largest ever to be built for ethane transport.The tanks will be fitted with the Mark III membrane containment system developed by GTT. The delivery of the vessels is scheduled…
Muted Tanker Fleet Growth Boosts 2024 Market Outlook

Niels Rasmussen, BIMCO’s Chief Shipping Analyst, predicts a stronger 2024 than 2023 for crude and product tankers.This is despite weaker cargo volumes during the first half of the year.The BIMCO Tanker Shipping Market Overview & Outlook August 2024 states that muted fleet and supply growth in both markets during 2024 is a key enabler for the relatively significant strengthening of the supply/demand balance predicted.Longer sailing distances due to rerouting of many ships via the Cape of Good Hope help ensure strong tonne miles and demand growth in 2024 even if cargo volume growth is limited.
Kongsberg to Design and Equip Danish Operator’s New Wind-Assisted Chemical Tanker

Kongsberg Maritime has secured a contract from Danish operator Tärntank to design and equip its eleventh hybrid chemical tanker, which will featured wind-assisted propulsion system.The latest contract brings the total of vessels order by Tärntank to 11, with the latest five featuring wind-assist technology.The new 15,000 dwt vessels are equipped with a range of Kongsberg Maritime technologies aimed at energy conservation and emission reduction.These hybrid tankers can operate on diesel…
Trafigura Acquires Gearbulk's Share of JV Tanker Business

Trafigura Group has completed the acquisition of Gearbulk Holding 50% share in joint venture company High Heat Tankers (HHT) for an undisclosed sum.Aside from the acquisition, Trafigura has committed to a newbuild 17,500 dwt IMO II specialized high heat tanker to be delivered in the third quarter of 2026 from Chengxi Shipyard China to support the expansion of HHT’s services.HHT was established in 2018 between Gearbulk and Trafigura Group company Puma Energy Supply and Trading to provide access to the largest pool of modern IMO II high heat tankers in the world.Today…
NYK Acquires Multiple Segments of ENEOS Ocean’s Shipping Business

NYK and ENEOS Ocean Corporation have agreed to NYK’s acquisition of 80% of the shares of a new company to be established by ENEOS Ocean Corporation. The new company will take over ENEOS Ocean's shipping business through an absorption-type company split that will include the company’s LPG carriers, chemical tankers, product tankers, and dry bulk carriers.The demerger will not include ENEOS Ocean’s crude oil tanker business.The new company will operate 49 vessels, including 18 LPG carriers, 19 chemical and product tankers, and 12 dry bulk carriers.
Konsberg to Equip Hybrid Chemical Tanker for Danish Operator

Kongsberg Maritime has secured a contract to design and a equip a 10th hybrid chemical tanker for Danish operator Tärntank.The new Tärntank vessels will reduce carbon emissions using a combination of clean technologies.The wind-assist technology will be installed on the latest four vessels ordered, and this feature alone is expected to reduce emissions by up to 19%. The new vessels will have an Energy Efficiency Design Index close to 40% below the 2025 Phase 3 requirements.The 15…
BIMCO: Trade Restrictions Continue to Drive Tanker Demand Higher

Crude tanker demand is forecast to outpace supply in 2024 but grow slower than supply in 2025 as ships may return to the Suez Canal and sailing distances shorten, according to BIMCO’s May issue of its Tanker Shipping Market Overview & Outlook.Driven by increasing sailing distances, product tanker demand is also expected to grow faster than supply in 2024 but slower in 2025. A tightening supply/demand balance should result in increases in rates and prices in both markets in 2024…
Fratelli Cosulich Inaugurates Chemical Bunker Tanker Newbuild

Italian shipowner Fratelli Cosulich has inaugurated its new IMO2 chemical bunker tanker, Marta Cosulich, in the Bay of Singapore.Marta Cosulich vessel, with its 8.7000 m3, is the first ship in Fratelli Cosulich’s fleet ready to carry methanol.Fratelli Cosulich Bunkers Singapore started its physical supply business in 2005, which was a major milestone in the company’s global bunkering operations.Since, the company has expanded and modernized its local fleet, now comprising five bunker tankers…