Fast-expanding Asia Pacific Shipping (ASP) has stacked its orderbook with two more stainless steel chemical tankers.
The deal brings its total spend on newbuildings this year to $1bn.
The Vietnamese company has returned to Chian’s Wuhu Shipyard for two 25,900-dwt newbuildings, bringing its tally there to four.
Shipbuilding players following ASP’s newbuilding activities said the pair are option vessels held at Wuhu after the owner ordered two newbuildings there in July.
APS did not respond to a request for comment.
The price for the latest pair has yet to emerge. But ASP’s earlier vessels at Wuhu were reported to cost close to $50m each.
The newbuildings will meet the International Maritime Organization’s Tier III NOx standards and the Energy Efficiency Design Index Phase 3 specifications.
Sources said Wuhu is scheduled to deliver the four tankers in 2027.
ASP has two similar-size stainless steel chemical tankers under construction at China’s state-owned Wuchang Shipbuilding. They were ordered three months ago at a price similar to the Wuhu vessels, for delivery in 2027.
In September, Maersk Tankers disclosed on its LinkedIn page that APS would join its newly launched Maersk Chemical Tankers pool. There were no details of the vessels to be entered.
Hanoi-based ASP was founded in 2021, managing bulk carriers for shipowners in Vietnam and purchasing a few pre-owned bulkers for itself.
It began to order newbuildings early this year when it contracted three conventional-fuelled 115,000-dwt LR2 tankers at China’s Dalian Shipbuilding Industry Co for delivery in 2027.
In June, it commissioned Guangzhou Shipyard International to build two methanol dual-fuel 50,000-dwt MR tankers for delivery in 2026 at an eye-watering price of $66.5m each.
This was followed by two conventional-fuelled MRs at South Korea’s K Shipbuilding for delivery in 2026 and 2027.
In August, ASP debuted in the gas carrier sector by contracting Jiangnan Shipyard to build two 50,500-cbm LPG/liquid ammonia carriers for 2027 delivery.
Clarksons’ Shipping Intelligence Network lists APS with 27 vessels on the water, including one VLCC, two aframax tankers, two VLGCs and handysize bulkers and tankers.
The VLCC is the 297,600-dwt Symphony (ex-Nave Spherical, built 2009), which the company acquired in January from Navios Maritime Partners for $53.9m.
