Belgian gas shipowner Exmar is branching into the crude sector with a move into suezmax tankers.
The Antwerp-based company has ordered four scrubber-fitted newbuilds from Daehan Shipbuilding in South Korea, with deliveries scheduled from the third quarter of 2027.
The contract with an undisclosed value, placed at Daehan’s Mokpo yard, also carries options for a further four units. Each vessel will be 157,200 dwt, designed to carry around 1m barrels of crude oil.
Exmar, best known for its fleet of more than 40 LPG carriers and floating gas terminals, said the move is driven by “strong prospects for the suezmax market.” The company has long been active in gas transport and offshore infrastructure but has not previously had a presence in the crude tanker space.
