Furetank and Algoma Central Corporation expand the FureBear joint venture with two additional vessel orders, bringing the total newbuild order to ten intermediate product tankers to trade in Northern Europe. The two ships will be constructed at China Merchants Jinling Shipyard in Yangzhou, China, with delivery expected in second and third quarters of 2026.
The two new orders bring the Vinga vessel series to a total of 19 ships. Construction on the first FureBear vessel is on schedule for its 2024 delivery. All ten FureBear vessels will be entered into the Gothia Tanker Alliance and operated by Furetank out of Gothenburg, Sweden.
The Vinga ships are ice class 1A 17,999 DWT product tankers designed by Furetank together with FKAB Marine Design. They all have dual-fuel capability, run on LNG/LBG or gasoil and are fully equipped for shore power. They are designed with a battery hybrid solution and several innovative features that reduce fuel and energy consumption, resulting in extensively lower emissions of CO2, sulphur oxide, nitrogen oxide and hazardous particles. The ships have scored the best Energy Efficiency Design Index or EEDI value in their segment globally, meaning that they are the most energy efficient vessels according to the International Maritime Organization (IMO).
With the first generation of Vinga vessel entering the market in 2018, Furetank has confirmed the design and technology is robust and efficient.The vessels in service have been very well received in our market and have proven to function far beyond our expectations. The first ship has been operating for five years, the main engine running for 25,000 hours and not missing a single day in service because of technical issues. With that in mind, it is amazing to have found a business partner like Algoma who wants to join forces, place the investments, and continue this journey with us, says Lars Höglund.
We see the upcoming phasing out of older tonnage in the market far exceeding the amount of newbuildings underway. Since we launched the Vinga series, no other vessels have been introduced that exceed their environmental performance. This encourages us to expand the series, improving our customer service, while continuously developing and refining the emission-saving technology on board, says Lars Höglund, CEO of Furetank.
