On May 15, CIMC Raffles Offshore Engineering Pte Ltd (CIMC Raffles) officially commenced construction of a 319,000 DWT Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCC) for the European shipping investment firm Bruton.
The shipbuilding project consists of four vessels, with the contract taking effect on March 20, 2026, and a total value exceeding $500 million. The bow sections will be constructed at the Haiyang facility, while the stern sections will be built at the Yantai facility; the entire project will be integrated and delivered at the Yantai facility. The total project duration is 28 months, with deliveries expected to begin in 2028.
The shipbuilding project consists of four vessels, with the contract taking effect on March 20, 2026, and a total value exceeding $500 million. The bow sections will be constructed at the Haiyang facility, while the stern sections will be built at the Yantai facility; the entire project will be integrated and delivered at the Yantai facility. The total project duration is 28 months, with deliveries expected to begin in 2028.
Notably, this shipbuilding project marks CIMC Raffles’ first order in the VLCC market. The commencement of construction signifies that the four VLCCs have entered the substantive construction phase, indicating that the shipbuilder has officially entered the global core market for large commercial vessel construction—specifically VLCCs—less than two months after securing the contract.
CIMC Raffles stated that this VLCC is built based on the proven MARIC 319,000 DWT VLCC design. It measures approximately 330 meters in length, 60 meters in beam, and has a structural draft of 22.5 meters. Classed by the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS), the vessel meets international environmental regulations while balancing operational economy and energy efficiency.
Founded in 2023, Bruton is an Oslo-listed shipping investment company dedicated to building a modern fleet platform centered on large oil tankers. Between 2023 and 2026, Bruton placed orders for a total of eight VLCCs with New Times Shipbuilding, with deliveries expected between July 2026 and 2029.
CIMC Raffles is the operating entity for CIMC Group’s offshore engineering and platform business. As of December 31, 2025, the shipyard’s offshore engineering sector holds an order backlog valued at $5.09 billion, with oil and gas vessels and specialty vessels accounting for approximately 70% and 30% of the total, respectively. Production at its Longkou facility is already scheduled through 2030.
Entering 2026, CIMC Raffles has announced orders for 7+2 new vessels, including 4 VLCCs for Bruton, 2+2 Ro-Ro vessels for Finland’s Godby Shipping AB, and 1 subsea rock-laying vessel for the Netherlands’ Van Oord.
In recent years, CIMC Raffles’ order book has primarily consisted of Ro-Ro vessels, car carriers, wind turbine installation vessels, and container ships. The acquisition of these VLCC orders coincides with a new order window for this vessel type, demonstrating CIMC Raffles’ ability to seize industry opportunities and marking a significant breakthrough in its business strategy.