Four shipowners co-order vessels in record-breaking VINGA series: “The right time to invest”
A consortium of international shipping firms has commissioned four additional VINGA class tankers, bringing the total order for the energy-efficient vessel series to 26 units.
Four shipping firms based in Sweden, Norway, and Canada have placed orders for four new VINGA class tankers, according to Hellenic Shipping News. The new contract expands the total series to 26 vessels since its inception over a decade ago. The announcement coincided with a naming ceremony for the Fure Vasa, a recently completed vessel that just arrived in Europe from a Chinese shipyard.
Ownership of the new vessels will be split among several parties. FureBear, a joint venture between Canada's Algoma Central Corporation and Sweden's Furetank, will own two ships. Norway's O.H. Meling is entering the series for the first time with one vessel, while the Swedish company Älvtank has ordered one unit to add to its existing fleet of three VINGA tankers.
Furetank CEO Lars Höglund noted that the design remains "the most energy-efficient" in its international class due to its environmental performance. The vessels feature 12 cargo tanks, allowing for the transport of diverse liquid cargoes including biofuels and light chemicals. Owners indicated that this flexibility is essential as the European market shifts away from traditional fossil fuel volumes.
Construction will take place at the China Merchants Jinling Shipyard in Yangzhou, with deliveries scheduled for 2028 and 2029. Once operational, the tankers will be managed by Furetank Chartering under the Gothia Tanker Alliance. All four ships will fly the Swedish flag, representing a significant portion of that nation's merchant fleet.
Helena Marsh — Energy Markets Editor. Helena covers crude, refined products and the trading houses that move them, with a focus on price formation in the Mediterranean and Black Sea.
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