China tanker firm orders 14 new ships to boost fleet
China Merchants Nanjing Tanker has finalized plans to grow its fleet by 14 new vessels, comprising four large ocean-going tankers and ten inland crude barges. The initiative forms a key part of the company’s effort to update its operations and tighten its supply chain connections.
The expansion will be led by the company’s Singapore-based unit, which will allocate up to RMB 1.96 billion for the construction of four 115,000 dwt LR2 oil tankers at Dalian Shipbuilding Industry Group. Each tanker will carry a maximum cost of RMB 490 million and will comply with IMO Tier III emissions standards as well as EEDI Phase III efficiency rules. These ships are scheduled for delivery between June and December 2029, where they will replace older, less efficient vessels in the company’s international tanker fleet.
In tandem, the company’s domestic arm, Nanjing Yangtze River Oil Transportation Logistics, will invest up to RMB 191.72 million in ten 4,000 dwt crude oil barges fitted with specialized cargo pumps. These will be constructed by Hunan Jinhang Shipbuilding and delivered in phases throughout 2027, strengthening the company’s river-to-sea transshipment services along the Yangtze economic corridor.
The expansion is designed to reinforce China Merchants Nanjing Tanker’s core river-sea transshipment business, easing bottlenecks in inland crude distribution and complementing its ocean-going tanker fleet to form a coastal-inland oil transport network for energy security along the Yangtze economic belt. The company currently operates 74 ships with an annual cargo capacity exceeding 44 million tonnes.
