Greek shipowner JHI Steamship is accelerating its new shipbuilding project, following past shipbuilding practices by ordering a new vessel from a Japanese shipyard.
Market sources indicate that JHI Steamship has placed an order with Imabari Shipbuilding for one 115,000 DWT LR2 oil tanker, expected to be delivered in 2028. The order value has not yet been disclosed. The new vessel will be equipped with a scrubber and will be built at Imabari Shipbuilding’s Marugame shipyard.
Since the Inglessis family restructured its shipping business and established JHI Steamship, the latter’s new ship orders have steadily increased.
With the disclosure of this tanker order, JHI Steamship now holds at least seven new ship orders: six to be built by South Korean shipyards and one by a Japanese shipyard. The South Korean shipyard orders include: three 115,000 DWT Aframax tankers from K Shipbuilding, to be delivered in 2027 (two) and 2028 (one); two 157,000 DWT Suezmax tankers from HD Hyundai Samho, to be delivered in 2028 and 2029; and one Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCC) from Hanwha Ocean, to be delivered in 2029.
It is understood that following the spin-off of the long-established shipping company Samos Steamship, the Inglessis family restructured its shipping operations. The newly established JHI Steamship is controlled by John Inglessis, while Carova Maritime is managed by his cousin Anthony, who is also active in the newbuilding market.
Excluding the aforementioned order, Imabari Shipbuilding only announced one new ship this year, namely a 40,000 DWT bulk carrier ordered by Uni-Asia Group, which will be delivered in 2028. This is the first shipbuilding order placed by the group in more than a decade.