Yangzijiang expands fleet with crude carrier orders, trims medium-range tankers

All eight vessels are built to IMO Phase 3 EEDI standards.

Yangzijiang Maritime Development Ltd. has signed contracts for eight Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCC) newbuilds and simultaneously offloaded four medium-range (MR) tankers.

According to a press release, the eight VLCCs, each rated at approximately 319,000 deadweight tonnage (DWT), will be built at a Chinese shipyard with deliveries staggered across 2028, 2029, and 2030.

Financing will come through a combination of equity co-investment and debt. All eight vessels are built to IMO Phase 3 EEDI standards and will be fitted with exhaust gas cleaning systems (scrubbers).

This will give operators the flexibility to burn high-sulphur fuel oil whilst remaining compliant with the IMO 0.5% global sulphur cap.

On the sell side, the company has contracted the sale of four 49,800 DWT MR tankers scheduled for delivery in 2027 and 2028.

Executive Chairman and CEO Ren Yuanlin said the MR tanker sales reinforce earnings visibility for the financial years 2026 and 2027.