East Pacific Shipping has ordered two 157,000 DWT Suezmax tankers from Guangzhou Shipyard International, a subsidiary of China State Shipbuilding Corporation, with delivery expected around 2028.
This is the third order for Suezmax tankers that Guangzhou Shipyard International has announced this year. In early April, Guangzhou Shipyard International signed a contract with Greek shipowner Venergy Maritime for 2+2 Suezmax tankers with a deadweight tonnage of 157,000; in March, it was reported that Turkish diversified shipowner Yasa had placed an order with Guangzhou Shipyard International for 2+2 Suezmax tankers, scheduled for delivery in 2028 and 2029; however, Yasa’s shipbuilding contract was signed in 2025.
It is understood that the Suezmax tankers contracted by Venergy Maritime were independently designed and developed by Guangzhou Shipyard International. They are powered by fuel oil and equipped with open-loop desulfurization systems. With a total length of approximately 274 meters, a beam of 48 meters, and a structural draft of 17.1 meters, these vessels have a deadweight tonnage of approximately 157,000 tons. with a service speed of 14.2 knots. The vessels meet IMO Tier III emission standards and achieve Phase III compliance for the Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI). They are characterized by high speed, light deadweight, low energy consumption, and strong adaptability.
This year, Guangzhou Shipyard International has had a successful year in the tanker market. In addition to the several Suezmax tankers mentioned earlier, the company has secured orders for 14 MR-type product tankers. The order for 10 new vessels placed by Greece’s Central is reportedly the largest single order for MR-type product tankers so far in 2026, while the remaining four vessels—two each—were ordered by a subsidiary of COSCO SHIPPING Energy Transportation and Germany’s Leonhardt & Blumberg.
The shipowner, East Pacific Shipping, is continuing to optimize and adjust its tanker fleet structure. The company has long focused on the Aframax tanker segment and is expanding its presence in the product tanker market.
Ship sale and purchase data indicates that Eastern Pacific Shipping has sold at least four Suezmax tankers in recent months. The company plans to utilize the proceeds from these second-hand vessel transactions to acquire new vessels, with the aim of rebuilding the size of its Suezmax tanker fleet.
In the Suezmax tanker market, Eastern Pacific Shipping’s newbuilding program commenced in mid-2025, when it placed an order with Hengli Heavy Industries for two—plus an option for two additional—LNG dual-fuel Suezmax tankers at a unit price of approximately $90 million. This move ended an 18-month drought in Suezmax tanker orders for the company, and in November of the same year, orders for two vessels of the same type were finalized. Including the two vessels ordered from Guangzhou Shipyard International, Eastern Pacific Shipping currently holds orders for at least six Suezmax tankers