India’s Swan Defence & Heavy Industries Limited (SDHI) has signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) with Norwegian ship owner Rederiet Stenersen AS for the construction of six 18,000 DWT IMO Type II hybrid chemical tankers. The agreement, worth approximately $220 million, includes an option for six additional vessels.

The tankers will be built at SDHI’s shipyard in Pipavav, Gujarat. Norwegian company Marinform will handle the vessel design, and classification will be provided by DNV, according to the companies.

Each vessel will be built to Ice Class 1A standards and equipped with hybrid propulsion and automation systems for enhanced manoeuvrability and operational flexibility. SDHI noted that the tankers are “future-ready,” designed to allow conversion to methanol or LNG fuel. The design also provides for the installation of battery systems up to 5,000 kWh.

Vivek Merchant, Director at SDHI, said the deal represents the company’s first major export of advanced chemical tankers to Norway.

Rederiet Stenersen currently operates a fleet of 19 chemical and product tankers trading mainly in Northern Europe.