Sovcomflot (SCF Group) has been linked to a pair of high-specification aframax tanker newbuildings at Samsung Heavy Industries.
Shipbuilding players said the Russian state-controlled shipowner is behind an order for two ice-class aframaxes announced by the South Korean shipyard last week.
Order unveiled
In the announcement, SHI disclosed that the newbuildings were ordered by a European shipowner and the value of the contract is KRW 187.5bn ($158m).
The shipbuilder added that the tankers will be capable of operating safely in ice of up to 70 cm in thickness and in temperatures of -30C.
The yard is slated to deliver the vessels by March 2022.
“The high shipbuilding price of $79m each reflects that the tankers will be also be powered by LNG,” said a shipbuilding source.
Officials at SHI were not immediately available for comment on the order.
Aframax orderbook
If it is true that Igor Tonkovidov-led Sovcomflot has placed the two newbuildings at the yard group, the order will bring its total number of aframaxes to four, as the company also has two vessels under construction at the new Zvezda Shipbuilding Complex in Russia.
The company ordered those LNG-fuelled, 114,000-dwt tankers, which have ice-class 1A and 1B notations, last year against charter contracts of 20 years to domestic energy company Rosneft. Zvezda is slated to deliver the duo in June and September 2022.
Sovcomflot has become the second shipping company to sign up for LNG-fuelled aframax newbuildings with SHI this year.
South Korean shipowner Sinokor Merchant Marine was reported to have commissioned the Koje-based shipyard for up to 10 dual-fuelled, 113,000-dwt crude oil tankers with delivery scheduled for 2021. The low-profile shipping company placed the order against long-term charter employment from Shell Tankers (Singapore). The newbuildings were reported to cost around $62m each.
