Greek shipowner Atlas Maritime, led by Leon Patitsas, has quickly returned to the Suezmax tanker market. After generating revenue from reselling older vessels, the shipowner has already ordered new ships from a South Korean shipyard.
Market sources indicate that Atlas Maritime has placed an order for 2+2 Suezmax tankers with South Korea’s mid-sized shipbuilder DH Shipbuilding. Each vessel is valued at approximately $86 million, with deliveries scheduled to commence in the third quarter of 2028.
This newbuilding project follows the recent resale transaction between Atlas Maritime and Danish shipping investment firm European Maritime Finance (EMF). By the end of 2025, both parties agreed to sell two newbuild 157,000 DWT Suezmax tankers to Greek tanker owner Okeanis Eco Tankers at approximately $97 million each. The vessels are currently under construction at DH Shipyard and are scheduled for delivery in the second quarter of 2026.
Suezmax tankers have become the primary vessel type for DH Shipbuilding’s orders this year. Excluding the above-mentioned orders, DH Shipbuilding has already secured six Suezmax tankers for delivery in 2026. These orders, each comprising two vessels, were placed by Nordic American Tankers, Greece’s Panos Laskaridis and Switzerland’s Advantage Tankers.