Germany’s John T. Essberger said it has ordered four LNG-powered chemical tankers at China Merchants Jinling Shipyard.
The contract also includes an option for four additional sister vessels.
China Merchants Jinling Shipyard (Yangzhou) Dingheng will deliver the 6,600-dwt LNG-powered ships from mid-2023, according to Hamburg-based Essberger.
E&S Tankers, a joint venture of Essberger Tankers and Stolt Tankers, will operate the vessels to initiate the fleet renewal, which demonstrates “full commitment to the European
short-sea chemical market,” the firm said.
Designed by FKAB, the stainless steel parcel tankers, IMO Type II, will have dual-fuel LNG propulsion and certified Finnish/Swedish 1A ice class.
Besides dual-fuel propulsion, the ships will also feature full battery / UPS power, preventing blackouts.
Essberger says it would receive 1.58 million euros ($1.93 million) in subsidies per vessel from the ministry for transport and digital infrastructure (BMVI) as part of the German government’s mobility and fuels strategy.
The German shipping group’s fleet currently consists of 34 parcel chemical tankers operating in North-West Europe and the Mediterranean, all under E&S Tankers activity, as well as four container vessels.