Germany’s GEFO Shipping Group has announced that it has signed a contract for the construction of ten 3,850 dwt stainless steel chemical tankers with XMXYG Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering Co., Ltd.(XMXYG SOE), which are expected to be delivered between 2026 to 2028, with an order value of “a three-digit million euros”.
These new sea-going vessels have been further optimised compared to the last series so that they consume less fuel and produce correspondingly lower emissions.
The vessels are also designed in such a way that various environmentally friendly optimisations can be carried out at a later stage and innovative fuels can be used. They are being built in China.
Founded in 1961, the GEFO Group is a family-owned business.2022 GEFO has launched a €400 million investment programme in a series of newbuilds and second-hand vessels, with the latest newbuild expected to be delivered this summer.
The group currently has a fleet of 150 vessels for the transport of cargoes such as chemicals, gas and mineral oils, deployed in the Antwerp-Rotterdam-Amsterdam (ARA) chemical triangle.
It is reported that XMXYG SOE is focusing on environmentally friendly and energy-saving series of bulk carriers of less than 100,000 DWT oil tankers and container ships, small and medium-sized stainless steel/special-painted chemical tankers as well as other engineering vessels, etc. In 2023, XMXYG SOE mainly undertook various types of bulk carriers from shipowners. In the last month of 2023, the shipyard has successfully taken orders for two types of eight bulk carriers, four Kamsarmax 82,000 dwt bulk carriers and four Ultramax 63,500 dwt bulk carriers.
The four Kamsarmax bulk carriers were ordered by TMS Dry, the bulk carrier company of Greek owner George Economou, and are expected to be delivered in 2026. Each unit is priced between $35 million and $36 million. Four Ultramax bulk carriers were ordered by Eastern Mediterranean Maritime (EastMed), a shipping company controlled by Greek owner hanassis Martinos, and are expected to be delivered between March and September 2026.
Notably, EastMed’s order marks the end of a decade-long bulk carrier order drought for the shipyard.