Mitsui OSK Lines (MOL) and MOL Chemical Tankers (MOLCT) have signed an agreement with CMB Tech for nine ammonia-powered ships, among the first ammonia-powered Newcastlemax bulk carriers and chemical tankers.
Three ammonia-fitted 210,000DWT Newcastlemax bulk carriers currently on order at Qingdao Beihai Shipyard will be jointly owned by CMB Tech and MOL and chartered to MOL for a period of 12 years each.
Six chemical tankers - two ammonia fitted and four ammonia-ready - have been ordered at China Merchants Jinling Shipyard (Yangzhou) by CMB Tech and chartered to MOLCT for 10 and 7 years each respectively.
The Newcastlemaxes will be delivered in 2026 and 2027, while the chemical tankers’ delivery is expected in 2028 and 2029.
"Thanks to this agreement, CMB Tech increases its contract backlog by US$921 million (to $2.94 billion), clearly demonstrating that our strategy of fleet rejuvenation, decarbonisation and diversification is yielding tangible results,” said Alexander Saverys, CEO of CMB Tech.