Greek shipowner Evangelos Marinakis is expanding his VLCC newbuilding programme, signing a contract for a 306,000 dwt supertanker at China’s Hengli Heavy Industries.
The deal, valued by shipbuilding sources at around $118m, aligns with similar VLCC deals struck by owners John Fredriksen and George Procopiou at the Dalian-based yard, with delivery scheduled between 2026 and 2027.
With this latest addition, Marinakis-controlled Capital Group now has 10 VLCCs on order across three shipyards: six at CSSC Tianjin Shipbuilding, three at South Korea’s Hanwha Ocean, and the newly added Hengli unit.
Hengli Heavy Industries has been steadily moving into large crude carrier construction since 2023 and has actively marketed newbuilds to top-tier owners. Prior to the latest deal, the yard said it had secured 12 VLCC shipbuilding contracts in recent weeks. Hengli’s in-house VLCC design features a 332.8-m hull with a 60-m beam, 30-m depth, a service speed of 14.5 knots and meets the latest efficiency and emissions standards.
