Nanjing Tanker has opened a tender for four LR2 product/crude carriers, potentially taking its newbuilding commitments in the segment from two vessels to six, Splash 247 reported. The Shanghai-listed, China Merchants-controlled shipowner is seeking bids by 10 October, although the proposed quartet has not yet reached the firm-order stage.
The tender specifies compliance with IMO Tier III emissions standards and phase three of the Energy Efficiency Design Index requirements. Pricing, delivery dates and propulsion arrangements have not been disclosed. The distinction between a tender and a confirmed contract remains important: the four vessels would triple the owner's LR2 newbuilding programme only if the project proceeds to an order.
Nanjing Tanker already has two 115,000 dwt LR2s being built at Dalian Shipbuilding Industry Corporation. Those ships were ordered in September 2025 and are scheduled for delivery by October 2028. Splash 247 cited broker estimates of roughly $72m-$74m for each vessel, rather than a price disclosed for the latest tender.
The proposed expansion in larger product carriers forms part of a wider fleet renewal effort. In July, Splash 247 reported that Nanjing Tanker had approved another four 50,000 dwt MR product/chemical tankers at Guangzhou Shipyard International. The approved expenditure was up to $182.8m, with the ships due to arrive during 2028 and 2029.
The owner has also been ordering more specialised vessels. Earlier this year it contracted three stainless-steel chemical tankers of 6,600 dwt each, adding to a programme that already encompassed LR1 tankers, the first two LR2s and an ethylene carrier. At the end of June, Nanjing Tanker operated 73 vessels with combined capacity of about 2.8m dwt, including 34 product tankers. According to Splash 247, that product fleet is still predominantly MR-sized, so the additional LR2s would represent a notable move towards larger tonnage.