VESSEL REVIEW | Marinus – Ice-capable hybrid product/chemical tanker for Sweden's Sirius Shipping

Swedish tanker operator Sirius Shipping has taken delivery of a new ice class 1A product and chemical tanker that will carry conventional fuels and renewable feedstocks for energy company VAROPreem across Sweden, the Baltics and Northwest Europe.

Marinus was built by China Merchants Industry Yangzhou Dingheng Shipyard to a Kongsberg Maritime design and was delivered on July 10, 2026. She is the first of two vessels in a new series.

The tanker sails on time charter with VAROPreem, the energy group created when VARO and Preem joined. Sirius vessels have served Preem without interruption for more than 30 years, and the two companies extended their time charter agreements in 2025.

Sister vessel Maximus, now under construction, will enter the same arrangement upon her delivery.

Cargo capacity suitable for shortsea trade

VAROPreem expects Marinus to transport around 700,000 tonnes of cargo each year. On her delivery voyage from China to Europe, she carried 8,000 tonnes of feedstock, which was discharged at VAROPreem's Lysekil manufacturing hub in Sweden.

The tanker has an LOA of 147 metres (482 feet), a length between perpendiculars of 144.3 metres (473.4 feet), a beam of 22 metres (72 feet), a depth of 11.7 metres (38.4 feet), and a summer draught of 9.1 metres (30 feet). Her deadweight is 15,215 and her gross tonnage is 11,408.

Kongsberg described the hull form as an ice class 1A design with a wave-piercing bow. Styling of the forecastle deck and the signal masts at the vessel's fore and aft was chosen to match the appearance of the existing Sirius fleet.

Marinus is classed by Bureau Veritas as an oil tanker CPS(WBT) ESP and an IMO Type 2 chemical tanker ESP for unrestricted navigation. Additional notations include ICE CLASS IA, AUT-UMS, BWT, CLEANSHIP, VCS, MON-SHAFT, INWATERSURVEY and GREEN PASSPORT EU, along with methanol-fuel-prepared notations.

The ship's cargo capacity totals 17,530 cubic metres (3.86 million gallons), comprising 16,800 cubic metres (3.695 million gallons) in the cargo tanks and 730 cubic metres (160,000 gallons) in deck tanks. The series design provides 14 cargo segregations, and the tanks are coated with MarineLine 784.

Propulsion arrangement ensuring greater flexibility

Propulsion is provided by a five-cylinder WinGD 5X52-S2.0 two-stroke main engine rated at 5,850 kW (7,840 hp). It drives a single controllable-pitch propeller, giving a speed of 14.5 knots.

The ship's fuel capacity is 607.1 cubic metres (133,500 gallons).

The propeller and a flap rudder are combined in Kongsberg's Promas system, which the company said cuts fuel consumption by more than six per cent compared with alternative propulsion arrangements.

Kongsberg also supplied the steering gear, a tunnel thruster with Mcon control, AutoChief propulsion control, deck machinery, K-Chief integrated automation and Vessel Insight vessel-to-cloud data infrastructure.

The electrical system was supplied by WE Tech Solutions and is built around a shaft generator and a 420kWh battery.

WE Tech said the arrangement lets the main engine run at variable speed while the shaft generator meets the ship's electrical demand, so the auxiliary engines do not need to run on passage.

The battery handles peak shaving, load smoothing and blackout prevention, and supports a shaft-generator-based safe-return-to-port function.

The battery can also support ballasting and cargo handling, and that the design anticipates harbour entry and departure on the shaft generator and battery without running the auxiliaries.

Four 554kW diesel generators and a 200kW emergency generator are also installed. A 1,000kW shore power connection allows the vessel to load and discharge with “zero emissions” at berth, according to Sirius.

Preem published a calculated EEDI of 5.50 for the series when the charter was announced in June 2024, against a 2025 requirement of 8.94. The ships have also been readied for a later switch to methanol fuel.

Sirius said crew feedback shaped the design, with attention to ergonomics, functionality and safety as well as comfortable cabins, a gym and communal spaces.