Logistics and tonnage provider Singfar Group, which entered MR tankers last year, has moved to include aframaxes in its portfolio.
The Singapore-based company has struck a deal with China’s New Times Shipbuilding for two 115,000-dwt crude carriers to be delivered in late 2027.
Shipping sources following the Chinese shipbuilding market said the aframaxes would be able to run on LNG or conventional marine fuel.
A Singfar official confirmed the New Times deal.
He said the tankers were ordered against long-term employment contracts but declined to disclose the charterer or details of the deals.
“At Singfar Group, our primary focus is on constructing an eco-friendly and sustainable logistics and trading platform for our valued partners,” said the official.
“We are witnessing a growing number of counterparts who are deeply conscious of their environmental responsibilities.
“Our latest project is an extension of our existing partnerships and is in line with the interests of our end users, who are actively engaged in mitigating the environmental impacts of their operations.
“Leveraging our unique expertise, we strive to craft tailored solutions to meet the diverse needs of our partners. Furthermore, we remain open to developing more environmentally sustainable shipping options for our customers.”
Chinese shipyards are said to be seeking more than $68m for an LNG dual-fuel aframax tanker newbuilding.
Singfar was incorporated in 2020. The company’s website states that its mission is to facilitate international trade through an eco-friendly logistics and trading platform, merging innovation with environmental responsibility.
The company official said Singfar owns and operates around 20 various classes of tankers — from 500 tons (453 tonnes) to suezmaxes.
“We have recently made significant investments in super-eco dual-fuel units and anticipate several new additions through 2028,” said Singfar.
Clarksons’ Shipping Intelligence Network shows Singfar operating the New Times-built 156,700-dwt suezmax tankers Atlantic M and Orient M (both built 2022). They are owned by China Construction Bank Financial Leasing.
In September 2023, Singfar ordered four methanol-ready MR tanker newbuildings at Chengxi Shipyard. It was reported to be paying about $42m each for the conventionally fuelled product carriers. The quartet is scheduled for 2026 delivery.
In February, Singfar took delivery of the LNG dual-fuel 6,700-dwt bunker Arundina (built 2024). It has chartered out the tanker to Sinopec Singapore for long-term business.
Clarksons’ SIN shows Singfar has five LNG-capable 7,000-dwt bunker tanker newbuildings under construction at Liangyungang Shenhua in China.
