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John T. Essberger has exercised two vessel options under its newbuilding contract with China Merchants Industry Yangzhou Dingheng, expanding its orderbook for chemical tankers.
The Hamburg-based owner activated the options to add two more 7,900 dwt chemical tankers to the existing order. The firm order for this vessel series now totals four units, with an additional two options still available at the shipyard.
These tankers feature duplex stainless steel cargo tanks and meet Ice Class 1A standards, designed for service on European coastal chemical shipping routes. Each vessel measures 119.9 metres in overall length and 18 metres in beam. They have a maximum draught of 6.85 metres and a total cargo volume of 8,950 cubic metres.
The lead vessel of the series is scheduled for delivery in August 2028. This latest option exercise brings the company’s total chemical tanker newbuilding portfolio to eight vessels: four 7,900 dwt units at Yangzhou Dingheng and four 13,800 dwt tankers under construction at Nantong Rainbow Offshore & Engineering Equipment.
All eight vessels are slated for sequential delivery between mid-2027 and September 2029. The company, founded in Hamburg in 1924, operates chemical tankers, dry bulk vessels, and ship management services. Its chemical tanker fleet is managed through E&S Tankers, a joint venture with Stolt Tankers established in 2021.
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ShippingChina.com notes that the joint venture currently operates 46 stainless steel parcel tankers across the Baltic, Mediterranean, and Northwest Europe.
The expansion of the orderbook follows a period of significant investment in the fleet. The owner is adding capacity specifically for chemical transport on European coastlines.
This recent move to increase the orderbook by two more ships suggests a long-term strategy to secure tonnage for the specified routes. While the immediate focus is on the newbuilds at Yangzhou Dingheng, the concurrent construction of four larger 13,800 dwt tankers at Nantong Rainbow indicates a broadening of the vessel types used in the operations.
With delivery dates stretching out to late 2029, the timing of these vessels will coincide with the next expected cycle of market volatility in the dry bulk and chemical tanker sectors. Owners often increase newbuilding orders during periods of lower rates to lock in construction costs, anticipating a recovery in freight markets later in the decade.
John T. Essberger maintains a private status and focuses on chemical and dry bulk transport. The integration of the new 7,900 dwt units into the existing fleet structure will likely require adjustments in port calls and crew scheduling across the network.
