Thun Tankers has returned to Scheepswerf Ferus Smit with an order for four coastal tankers.
The owner says some of the ships, which form part of a fleet renewal strategy, will be LNG fuelled.
Thun has built 30 ships at the Dutch yard in the past, a relationship that brings flexibility in design.
Joakim Lund, chief commercial officer at the shipowner, explained the company was not building “ships off the shelf” and required a yard capable to adjusting to its requirements even late in the construction process.
The Erik Thun group already boasts the world’s first LNG powered bulkers.
It is presently not clear how many of the new tankers will be LNG fuelled but Lund says it’s an increasing market in Europe.
Thun Tankers operates 16 tankers with the older vessels set to be replaced as the newbuildings deliver.
Johan Kallsson, Deputy Managing Director, Erik Thun, said: “We always strive to meet our customers’ various demands withsustainable solutions.
“With this order we intend to further extend that offer by building a series of identical sister ships where some uses LNG as a fuel and others don´t.”
