Euronav NV has finalized an order for two bitumen, dual-fuel methanol tankers from China Merchants Jinling Shipyard, with delivery scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2026.
According to Euronav, the bitumen tankers, chartered for 10 years post-delivery, will feature dual-fuel green methanol engines, adaptable for future ammonia operation. Bitumen tankers specialize in transporting asphalt at 250 degrees. The 17,000-ton deadweight of these tankers is twice the average of the existing fleet
To remind, Euronav recently inked two time charter contracts with Valero and, in partnership with NCL and Yara, is constructing the world’s first ammonia-fueled container ship. With these new bitumen tanker charters, Euronav’s total contract backlog now stands at $1.975 billion.
CEO Alexander Saverys highlighted the strategic focus on fleet diversification and decarbonization, expressing commitment to developing innovative, low-carbon solutions and accelerating investments in the maritime energy transition.
In expressing his views, Euronav’s CEO, Alexander Saverys, emphasized that the company is actively executing its strategy of diversifying and decarbonizing the fleet through the acquisition of two state-of-the-art and environmentally friendly bitumen tankers. He pointed out that over the past few months, the company has successfully secured 55 years of time charter cover with the strong backing of top-class companies.
According to Saverys, this demonstrates the willingness of their customers to collaborate with Euronav and CMB.TECH in developing future-proof solutions for the shipping industry. He affirmed the company’s commitment to continually innovate low-carbon solutions for customers and accelerate investments in the maritime energy transition.
To remind, Euronav NV and CMB NV recently announced a share purchase agreement for the acquisition of 100% of the shares in CMB.TECH NV for USD 1.150 billion.
