Hanwha Ocean has signed a 738.3 bn won ($498.8m) contract with an Oceania owner for two LNG carriers and a $388.5m VLCC order from Asyad Shipping, lifting its 2026 newbuilding tally to about $890m.
Russia has asked the US to halt pursuit of a previously sanctioned Venezuelan tanker after it reflagged and transferred ownership to Russia while entering the Atlantic.
US forces have seized a VLCC widely identified as the Skipper after satellite imagery showed the 310,000 dwt tanker loading about 1.1 million barrels of sanctioned Merey crude at Venezuela’s Jose terminal.
Scorpio Tankers has signed letters of intent for two 320,000 dwt VLCCs at Hanwha Ocean, marking its return to the crude market after a decade. Each vessel is priced at $128 million, with deliveries set for the third and fourth quarters of 2028.
Global ship orders dropped 38% year-on-year in October, according to Clarksons Research. China led the market with a 73% share, while Korea accounted for 18% amid a broader industry slowdown.
COSCO orders 29 new ships worth $1.7b amid U.S. port fee measures, expanding its green fleet and advancing China’s maritime goals.
