OSG contracts four Aframax tankers

Overseas Shipholding Group (OSG) based in New York will build four 114,000 dwt Aframax tankers at the New Times Shipbuilding yard in Jinjiang, China. The vessels, scheduled for delivery in 2008 and 2009, will increase OSG’s Aframax fleet to 21 tankers serving customers in the Atlantic basin, and will operate in the Aframax International (AI) pool.

The 44 metre beam tankers will be built using the new Common Structural Rules (CSR) recently established by IACS for all tankers and bulk carriers ordered after April 1, 2006. Among other design upgrades, the new rules set forth stricter hull strength requirements and technical criteria of double hull tankers that had previously differed by each classification society. OSG has agreed to pay approximately $58 million for each of the high specification tankers.

Mats Berglund, head of OSG’s Crude Transportation Strategic Business unit stated, “The newbuild price we were able to negotiate was significantly less than the $75 million rates being quoted in the market today for less efficient vessels that are not CSR-compliant. Furthermore, the new ships are faster, have a larger carrying capacity and shallower draft than the older vessels we intend to sell.”