Vietnamese shipowner Asia Pacific Shipping has contracted two Chinese shipyards to build stainless steel chemical tanker newbuildings worth about $200m.
Industry sources said the Hanoi-based company penned two 25,900-dwt chemical tankers each at Wuhu Shipbuilding and Wuchang Shipbuilding Industry.
It is said to be paying close to $50m per ship.
The newbuildings will meet the International Maritime Organization’s Tier III NOx standards and the Energy Efficiency Design Index Phase 3 specifications.
Sources said these fuel-efficient tankers will be designed by Shanghai Odely Marine Engineering and have a service speed of 14 knots.
Wuhu and Wuchang are scheduled to deliver the vessels in 2027.
Officials at Asia Pacific were not available for comment.
The Wuhu and Wuchang orders are the fourth and fifth deals for Asia Pacific this year.
Early in July, it ordered two conventionally fuelled but LNG/methanol-ready MR tanker newbuildings at South Korea’s K Shipbuilding for over $53m per ship.
The Chinhae-based shipyard is scheduled to deliver one vessel in 2026 and one in 2027.
Asia Pacific also has two 50,000-dwt product carriers booked at China State Shipbuilding Corp-controlled Guangzhou Shipyard International.
The company inked the contract at Posidonia.
Asia Pacific is believed to be paying an eye-watering price of $66.5m each for the MR tankers as the ships will run on methanol or conventional marine fuel.
Early this year, Asia Pacific was said to have penned three LR2 tankers at Dalian Shipbuilding Industry Co for delivery in 2027.
But in May, the shipping company sold two of the 115,000-dwt product tankers for $105.3m to CSSC (Hong Kong) Shipping in a sale-and-leaseback deal.
It is taking the duo on 10-year bareboat charters for $128.7m.
Asia Pacific, backed by shipowner Nguyen Quynh Anh, was founded in 2021.
The company’s website shows it controls a diverse fleet of 20 vessels of which 18 are owned. The fleet comprises chemical tankers, gas carriers, bulkers and general cargo vessels.
But Clarksons’ Shipping Intelligence Network lists Asia Pacific with a fleet of 26 ships that include a VLCC, the 300,000-dwt Symphony (ex-Nave Spherical, built 2009), and a post-panamax bulker, the 105,000-dwt Fiona (ex-FPMC B 102, built 2011).
VesselsValue shows Asia Pacific acquired the Chinese-built VLCC from Navios Maritime Partners in January for $53.9m and STX Dalian-built Fiona in February for $16.5m.
