South Korea’s DM Shipping has placed an order in China for three chemical tankers as the owner looks to strengthen its fleet with next-generation tonnage.
The contract covers 33,000 dwt units, worth more than RMB 1.2bn (USD 168m), at Jiangxi New Jiangzhou Shipbuilding Heavy Industry.
Deliveries are scheduled for 2028 and 2029, with all three ships to be classed by the Korean Register of Shipping.
Each of the duplex stainless steel vessels will measure 185 m in length, 28.6 m in beam, and will be designed to run on methanol as well as conventional fuel.
DM Shipping, which operates a fleet of more than 10 chemical tankers, is betting on the yard’s growing track record. New Jiangzhou — the successor to Jiangzhou Union Shipbuilding — was formally relaunched in March 2023 and has since landed multiple contracts in the chemical tanker and multipurpose vessel sectors.
The yard described the order as a sign of DM’s “recognition and trust” in its technical capabilities, after competing against several domestic and international rivals for the business.