Idan Ofer’s group reopens the supertanker chapter with two new 306,000 dwt constructions at HengliShipbuilding
Singapore – Eastern Pacific Shipping (Eps) marks its return to the VLCC segment with an order for two new 306,000 dwt units at the Chinese shipyard HengliShipbuilding, with deliveries scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2027. This is Eps’s first investment in very large crude carriers since 2018, the year the company disposed of its last vessel in the segment to focus on aframax, suezmax and, more recently, MR product tankers.
The agreement consolidates Hengli’s role as one of the most active shipyards in the VLCC market in 2025, with over 20 orders acquired, largely from European shipowners. For Eps, it also represents a new step in the collaboration started with the Chinese builder: in recent months the company has already commissioned from Hengli two LNG dual fuel suezmax (with options for two more units) and four 6,000 teu container ships, with further options for four additional vessels.
With one of the largest orderbooks in the sector, Eps thus continues a diversified growth strategy, expanding its presence in multiple segments and reaffirming its interest in supertankers after years of pause.
