Swedish shipowner Furetank said it has ordered another two LNG-powered tankers at China Merchants Jinling Shipyard in Yangzhou.
“This means that six sister ships have been ordered this year alone, in the globally top-performing Vinga series which has now reached 15 vessels altogether,” the firm said in a statement on Friday.
Furetank said the Chinese shipbuilder would deliver the two LNG dual-fuel 17,999-dwt tankers in fall 2024 and spring 2025.
Prior to this, Furetank joined forces with Canada’s Algoma Central to order four LNG-powered tankers at the same yard.
Furetank order single Vinga tankers in July and January, while Erik Thun also ordered one Vinga vessel in March.
Furetank already owns four and commercially operates all of eight FKAB-designed ice-class product and chemical tankers under Sweden’s Gothia Tanker Alliance.
The firm took delivery of the last ship in this series of eight, Fure Viten, in June 2021.
All of these 149 meters long and 22.8 meters wide vessels can run on LNG or LBG and have battery backup as well.
Furetank said the new ships would also be fully equipped to operate cargo pumps with 6.6 kV high voltage shore power to reduce emissions even further as soon as ports offer the opportunity.
The vessels will have a cargo capacity of 20,306 cubic meters in 12 epoxy coated cargo tanks, ice-class 1A and an “efficient” cargo handling system.
Furetank did not reveal the price tag of the order.
“The fact that we have been able to build 15 vessels of the same design shows that they fulfill a need in our market. In our view, it proves we were right to put considerable efforts and investments into an efficient and environmentally-friendly design,” Lars Höglund, CEO of Furetank, said.
