OM Maritime has turned to China’s Jiangxi New Jiangzhou Shipbuilding Heavy Industry for its first-ever newbuildings.
The Singapore-based niche tanker player has booked firm orders for two 13,800-dwt stainless steel chemical tankers featuring 12 duplex stainless steel cargo tanks.
Duplex stainless steel cargo tanks originated out of Japan about a decade ago.
They offer much greater strength and corrosion resistance compared to common austenitic stainless steel and are more cost-effective to produce because of their low nickel content.
OM Maritime chief executive Captain Subhangshu Dutt told TradeWinds that the first ship will be delivered in the fourth quarter of 2026, with the second to follow shortly thereafter.
Dutt said the ships are custom-designed for OM Maritime’s requirements and capable of carrying a variety of cargoes including chemicals, acids, petroleum products and edible oils.
The vessels will comply with the highest emissions standards, with their stern design featuring a single shaft and pitch oars.
The chief executive did not disclose the price OM Maritime has agreed to pay for the vessels.
Founded by Dutt in 2007, OM Maritime has been a small but steady force in the Asian chemical trades.
The company has until now sourced its vessels through the secondhand market, and currently owns three chemical tankers of between 20,000 dwt and 29,000 dwt.
OM Maritime’s owned fleet is supplemented by additional time-chartered and bareboat-chartered chemical tankers.
Jiangxi New Jiangzhou rose out of the ashes of dormant Jiangzhou Union Shipbuilding in March 2023.
Backed by Singapore-listed Yangzijiang Financial subsidiary Jiangsu Yangchuan Investment Development and Qinshi Group, the reborn shipyard began taking in newbuilding contracts in December 2023, when domestic company Alita Shanghai ordered two 13,800-dwt stainless steel chemical tankers for delivery in 2025.
The contract includes options for two additional vessels.
Since then, the shipyard has received orders for four stainless steel chemical tankers from Dutch owner Mercurius Shipping and a series of six multipurpose general cargo vessels from Germany’s Candler Schiffahrt.
Denmark’s MH Simonsen has also signed up for eight 6,800-tonne stainless steel, hybrid-electric methanol dual-fuel chemical tankers.
