The Hamburg-based tanker shipping company GEFO has ordered two more tankers with stainless steel tanks in China. There are also two construction options.
According to an announcement by the Hamburg-based GEFO Shipping Group, the orders for two 7,900 dwt tankers with stainless steel tanks and the highest ice class 1A have now been signed. The ships will be built at the Nantong Xiangyu shipyard in Nantong and are scheduled for delivery in late 2026 and early 2027. Options have also been agreed for two further ships.
The ship’s hulls will be optimised for the frequently challenging weather conditions in the North Sea and Baltic Sea. At the same time, the output of the main engines installed will be reduced. This means that they can be operated in the ideal speed range, which also saves fuel.
GEFO newbuildings with Flettner rotors in future?
In addition, the ships, with their special steel construction and stability, are prepared for the installation of fuel-saving Flettner rotors for the purpose of utilising wind energy. The newbuildings are also designed in such a way that they could be converted to methanol propulsion in the future.
The Nantong Xiangyu shipyard is part of the state-owned Xiamen Xiangyu Group (XMXYG) in China and is the number 42 company with the highest turnover in China and number 142 in the “Fortune Global Top 500”.
With the two current newbuildings, the long-established Hamburg-based shipping company is continuing its high investment program. Ten Stainless Steel tankers with a fuel-saving design had already been ordered in January.
The fleet currently comprises a total of around 150 special tankers, including chemical, gas and mineral oil tankers, which are used on the Rhine from Holland to Switzerland. The company generates an annual turnover of up to € 600m.
The company’s new investment program amounts to € 300m. In addition to the twelve seagoing vessels ordered, it includes a gas tanker as a low-water carrier, two chemical tankers with coating tanks and two second-hand purchases already made for the Rhine.
In previous years, Gefo had already invested € 400m, including 13 new tankers with stainless steel tanks to establish a new line of business on the Rhine.
