On December 9, Gelonghui reported that China Merchants Energy Shipping (601872.SH) announced that on December 9, 2024, the company received an Aframax tanker named Kaizhou through its wholly-owned single-ship company at the Dalian Shipyard, with a deadweight tonnage of 0.115 million. This is the third of the five Aframax tankers ordered by the company between 2021 and 2023, representing a new generation of energy-saving and environmentally friendly tankers equipped with a desulfurization scrubber.
After the delivery of the Kaizhou tanker, it is planned to be deployed in the western (Americas) market. The successive delivery and operation of this series of vessels will optimize the vessel type and age structure of the company's tanker fleet, strengthen the synergy between the Aframax fleet and the VLCC fleet, further expand the company's global operational coverage, enhance the capability to serve customers, and ensure the continuous profitability of the company's tanker fleet.
As of the date of this announcement, the company has 60 oil tankers operating with 100% equity, including 52 VLCCs and 8 Aframax tankers; there are 13 orders on hand, including 6 VLCCs and 7 Aframax tankers, scheduled to be delivered gradually from 2026 to 2028.
