Greek owner Venergy Maritime is stepping up its move into crude tankers, lining up as many as six suezmax newbuilds across two Chinese yards. The Piraeus-based company, led by Vyron Vasileiadis, has signed firm contracts for two 158,000 dwt vessels at Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding, with options for two more units. The ships are scheduled for delivery in 2029 and 2030. The deal formalises earlier letters of intent and marks a push into the crude segment for the fast-growing owner. In a parallel move, Venergy has also contracted two 157,000 dwt suezmax tankers at another CSSC-controlled builder – Guangzhou Shipyard International (GSI), in a deal placed together with China Shipbuilding Trading Co. The GSI vessels will be built to the yard’s latest design, conventionally fuelled and fitted with open-loop scrubbers. The ordering spree comes less than a year after Vasileiadis stepped into shipping independently with the acquisition of three secondhand MR2 tankers. Since then, it has moved quickly to build out a fleet through multiple newbuildings. The latest orders take Venergy’s newbuilding tally to at least 24 ships across tankers and boxships, with an estimated value of around $1.3bn. Venergy is part of a wider group with interests spanning shipping services, port reception, waste management and alternative fuels, giving it exposure across both maritime operations and the energy transition. googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1_95_0_1_2'); }); TagsGreece