Socatra of France has signed an order for two tankers in China.
The Bozzoni family-owned company has struck a deal with state-owned Guangzhou International Shipyard for the 40,000-dwt MR1 product tanker newbuildings.
According to industry sources, GSI is slated to deliver the pair in 2027.
Officials at GSI and Socatra were not available for comment in the Asian morning on Monday.
The price of the MR1 newbuildings has not yet emerged in the market, but brokers said a standard vessel would cost at least $40m.
Socatra’s product tankers will be built to a design developed by GSI. At 180 metres long and 32 metres wide, the tankers will be built to meet the International Maritime Organization’s Tier III emission requirements and the Energy Efficiency Design Index’s Phase 3 standards.
Socatra already has four 49,800-dwt MR tankers under construction at GSI that are reportedly costing slightly more than $50m apiece.
The quartet was ordered in 2023 as part of a joint order with Hafnia. They were booked against long-term time charters to oil major TotalEnergies. The charter period was suggested to be for at least five years.
GSI is scheduled to deliver three vessels next year and one in 2026.
Clarksons’ Shipping Intelligence Network shows Socatra to also have three 7,850-dwt asphalt and bitumen carriers under construction at China Merchants Jinling Shipyard (Yangzhou) — the former AVIC Dingheng Shipbuilding.
The shipowner is slated to take delivery of two ships in 2025 and one in 2026.
Socatra is the last tanker owner in France. It has a fleet of 10 tankers — one MR2, four MR1s, with the remaining five between 3,500 dwt and 8,000 dwt.
