Four shipowners from Sweden, Norway, and Canada have ordered four new VINGA product tankers in China, expanding the Furetank-developed vessel series to 26 ships.
Two of the vessels will be owned by FureBear, a joint venture between Canadian Algoma Central Corporation and Swedish Furetank, the shipping company that developed the VINGA series together with FKAB Marine Design.
One vessel will go to Norwegian shipping company O.H. Meling, marking their first VINGA investment, and one to Swedish Älvtank, already the owner of three VINGA vessels and part of the very first order, delivered in 2018.
The ice class 1A VINGA product tankers 17,999-dwt were designed by Furetank together with FKAB Marine Design. They feature dual-fuel capability and can run on liquid biomethane (LBM), LNG or gasoil, while also being equipped for shore power and designed with a battery-hybrid solution.
The ships will be constructed at China Merchants Jinling Shipyard in Yangzhou, with delivery expected between 2028 and 2029.
They will be entered into the Gothia Tanker Alliance and managed commercially by Furetank Chartering.
All four vessels are to be registered under the Swedish flag.
Furetank said the VINGA series will account for almost a fifth of the Swedish merchant fleet, which currently stands at just over 105 vessels.
“It is an extraordinary journey to be part of, with a vessel series longer than anyone could have imagined,” said Lars Höglund, chief executive officer of Furetank.
Furetank, based on Donsö in the Gothenburg archipelago, is a Swedish, family-owned shipping company active in tanker shipping since the early 1950’s.
The company is a founding member of the Gothia Tanker Alliance: a market platform for small and intermediate product tankers, operating 40 vessels in European waters.
