CSET orders methanol-fuelled tanker newbuilding series

The order was announced in a stock market announcement recorded on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. 

The order encompasses three 114,200 dwt methanol-fuelled Aframax crude oil tankers, two 64,900 dwt Panamax tankers and a 49,900 dwt MR tanker vessel. The Aframax tankers will be constructed at COSCO Shipping’s Yangzhou shipyard, with the first vessel slated for delivery before the end of 2026. The two remaining vessels in the series will be constructed in tandem and will be delivered before the end of September and November 2027, respectively.

The Panamax tankers and the MR crude oil tanker will be constructed at COSCO Shipping Heavy Industry’s facility in Dalian. The tankers will be delivered before the end of October and December 2026, respectively. The MR tanker is expected to be delivered before the end of November 2026.

The Motorship notes that COSCO played an instrumental role in introducing LNG-fuelled propulsion into the VLCC segment of the tanker market, while COSCO Shipping Energy Transportation (CSET) has experience of operating dual-fuel tankers.