Greece's Polembros taps Chinese yard for LR2 tanker newbuildings

Greek owner Polembros Shipping has awarded China's Zhoushan Changhong International Shipyard a contract for the construction of six LR2 tankers in a series.

The contract awarded to Changhong International also includes options for up to two additional tankers from the same series for a total of eight ships. Deliveries of the six firm vessels are scheduled to be completed by the second half of 2026.

The LR2 tankers will be designed jointly by Changhong International and CIMC Ocean Engineering Design and Research Institute. Each ship will have an LOA of 249.9 metres, a beam of 44 metres, a depth of 21.5 metres, a structural draught of 15.2 metres, and a maximum deadweight of 115,000.

The tankers will also each have a straight bulb bow design, which will optimise navigation performance under different draught conditions. This would help reduce fuel consumption and carbon emissions over the same sailing distances.

Each tanker will be powered by one MAN 6G60ME main engine and will be fitted with efficiency-enhancing and energy-saving features such as a large-diameter propeller and vortex-eliminating fins.