Swedish shipping company Furetank aims to have its entire fleet renewed and environmentally friendly as it ordered two more dual-fuel Vinga product tankers in China.
The two ships will be constructed at the China Merchants Jinling Shipyard in Yangzhou, with delivery expected at the end of 2026 and beginning of 2027.
Upon delivery, Furetank’s fleet will consist entirely of environmentally proven, top standard vessels with an average age of two years.
The vessels are number 20 and 21 in the Vinga series of intermediate size product tankers and will be fully owned by Furetank Rederi AB. They will replace older tonnage, meaning that all vessels in the Furetank fleet will be of the emission-saving Vinga design.
The Vinga series has been rapidly expanded in the last few years, since the ships have been very well received in the market. The technology has proven to be robust and efficient, meeting all expectations, according to the company.
“We are very happy to reach this point on our journey, operating only ships with the latest emission-saving technology. We have done our homework. When these vessels arrive, the average age of our fleet will be less than two years. Since the introduction of the Vinga series in 2018, Furetank has developed into a substantially larger shipping company with our focus set on environmental progress. It has been an amazing journey,” Lars Höglund, Furetank CEO, said.
The green technology on board is developed and refined with the construction of each new vessel. The latest addition is two methane slip reducing technologies, a greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction package and low load optimization package, co-developed by Wärtsilä and Furetank. They will be implemented in all upcoming vessels and retrofitted into existing Vinga ships.
Tests performed both in the factory and on board show a methane slip reduction of an impressive 45-50 per cent, the company said.
The Vinga series is designed for the intense and demanding trade in the North Sea and Scandinavia, well suited to meet the growing European demand for biofuels and renewable feedstocks.
“Our customers are becoming more environmentally conscious and placing greater importance on reducing the climate footprint of their entire supply chain. With a large fleet of energy efficient vessels, we can offer better service to customers and optimize the fleet trading pattern, reducing our climate impact even further,” explained Lars Höglund.
The newbuilds will be entered into the Gothia Tanker Alliance and operated by Furetank out of Gothenburg, flying the Swedish flag. This brings the Vinga vessel series to a total of 21 ships, out of which 19 will be commercially managed and 14 fully operated by Furetank.
The Vinga ships are ice class 1A 17,999 dwt product tankers designed by Furetank together with FKAB Marine Design. They all have dual-fuel capability, run on LNG/LBG or gasoil and are fully equipped for shore power.
They are designed with a battery hybrid solution and several innovative features that reduce fuel and energy consumption, resulting in extensively lowered emissions of CO2, sulphur oxide, nitrogen oxide and hazardous particles.
The ships have scored the best Energy Efficiency Design Index or EEDI value in their segment globally, meaning that they are the most energy-efficient vessels according to the International Maritime Organization (IMO).