Seatrade-Maritime: Pan Ocean orders ammonia-ready VLCC pair at CSSC

Published by Seatrade-Maritime

CSSC Beihai Shipbuilding, together with CSSC Trading, has signed a shipbuilding contract for two 319,000 dwt Very Large Crude Carriers (VLCCs) with South Korean shipowner Pan Ocean.

In a disclosure, Pan Ocean said investment in the vessels was $122m per ship and deliveries would be complete in late September 2030.

This new deal follows a previous order for one VLCC signed by the two parties in March 2026 at $121.8m for delivery in December 2029. The yard said it marks a major batch breakthrough for Beihai Shipbuilding in commercialising its independently-developed Venus series VLCCs.

Pan Ocean currently has four 210,000 dwt bulk carriers and one VLCC under construction at Beihai Shipbuilding. The latest supplementary VLCC order lays a solid foundation for deeper and more comprehensive cooperation between the two parties in the future, the shipyard said.

“The global tanker shipping market has remained buoyant since 2026, with shipowners seeing rising demand for high-performance, low-energy-consumption and eco-friendly large crude carriers,” said the shipyard.

The newly-signed VLCCs belong to Beihai Shipbuilding’s self-developed Venus-series liquid cargo vessel portfolio. With an overall length of 339.5 meters, a beam of 60 meters and a deadweight of 319,000 dwt, the vessels are equipped with advanced high-efficiency energy-saving facilities that substantially improve overall energy efficiency and operational economy.

Designed with green and low-carbon upgrading potential, the vessels reserve space for ammonia fuel conversion and can be retrofitted with two 6,000 cu m ammonia fuel tanks in the future, enabling compliant and eco-friendly operation. The vessels align with the latest CSR, OCIMF and international oil company standards.