Traditional Hamburg-based shipping company Leonhardt & Blumberg has expanded its debut tanker newbuilding order in China by two ships to a total of four MR vessels.
The contract with Guangzhou Shipyard International was signed during SMM in Hamburg last week.
In April, L&B booked the original, scrubber-fitted and methanol-ready 49,500-dwt product tanker pair at GSI.
The Torben Kolln-led company described its four newbuildings as “progressive, modern ships” compliant with Tier III and the Energy Efficiency Design Index-phase 3 standards with a length of 183 metres, a width of 32 metres, a draught of 13.3 metres and a speed of 14.5 knots.
This is L&B’s first known tanker order — a segment that the container ship player expanded into just three years ago when it took three product carriers from Ardmore Shipping in a $40m sale-and-leaseback deal.
The GSI newbuildings “strengthen the long-term relationship” between L&B and GSI’s parent China State Shipbuilding Corp, the German company said.
The first two units are due for delivery from January 2027 onwards. No delivery schedule was disclosed for the latter pair and no price details either.
L&B has been diversifying its fleet portfolio even further.
In November 2023, the company teamed up with Netherland’s Boomsma Shipping to order up to eight general cargo ships at Chowgule Group’s new Mangalore yard in India.
L&B and Boomsma signed two firm and two optional vessels each, with delivery from autumn of next year.
The low-emission 8,500-dwt vessels were jointly developed with Dutch ship design group Conoship International.
