China Merchants Energy Shipping (CMES) is strengthening its fleet with 10 tanker newbuilds at Dalian Shipbuilding Industry Co (DSIC). The Shanghai-listed diversified shipping arm of China Merchants Group said in a filing it would be paying nearly $930m ($927m) in total for a series of five VLCCs and five aframax/LR2 product carriers. CMES has been renewing its fleet in several segments and currently has a large shipbuilding programme, either independently or in partnership with leasing outfits, that includes bulkers, car carriers, some of the largest LNG carriers, and the world’s first methanol dual-fuel VLCC. The 306,000 dtw and 115,000 dwt newbuilds will feature scrubbers and ammonia-ready engines, with delivery scheduled for 2027 and 2028. Clarksons’ data shows a combined ammonia-ready fleet and orderbook at about 430 ships. Still, the shipbroker noted that with no ammonia dual fuel 2-stroke engine yet commercially available, ammonia fuel optionality has been in focus in 2024, with some 90 newbuilding orders year to date. googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1_95_0_1_2'); });