Seacons (Intercontinental Shipping) Acquires Two 2026-Built Eco-Friendly Chemical Tankers for US$39.2 Million Compliant with IMO Tier III emission standards, the vessels will operate on Southeast Asia–Middle East routes to fill gaps in its specialized liquid cargo shipping segment. Leveraging Singapore’s petrochemical transshipment hub advantages, the company seizes growth opportunities brought by booming ASEAN chemical trade.

 

On June 28, 2026, Seacon Shipping Group (“Seacons”, Stock Code: 02409.HK), a Hong Kong-listed shipping firm, issued a vessel acquisition announcement. Its wholly-owned Singapore subsidiary sealed a cooperation deal with a local shipping enterprise to purchase two brand-new 4,981 DWT stainless steel chemical tankers completed this year at a total consideration of US$39.2 million. The vessels have been named MV Golden Gerbera and MV Golden Osmanthus respectively. This capacity expansion marks Seacons’ completion of a diversified fleet layout and its deep foray into the niche ocean transportation of fine chemical feedstocks between Southeast Asia and the Middle East.

 

The two acquired chemical tankers are constructed in full compliance with the strictest international IMO Tier III environmental standards. Equipped with inert gas protection systems, vapour recovery units and wastewater pretreatment facilities, they can safely carry Category II and III liquid cargoes including industrial solvents, lubricating oils, vegetable oils and chemical intermediates. The vessels satisfy stringent maritime inspection and emission control requirements at major Southeast Asian ports such as Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam and Thailand. Compared with prevailing market valuations for similar vessels, the unit purchase price is highly competitive, enabling the Group to build specialized liquid cargo capacity efficiently while keeping capital expenditure under control.

 

Seacons has long focused its core operations on ocean-going dry bulk and product tanker shipping, serving commodity trade logistics across Southeast Asia, Australia and the Middle East via well-established route networks. As petrochemical industries rapidly cluster within ASEAN, chemical industrial parks in Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia and other nations have successively gone into operation, driving sustained growth in import and export demand for chemical raw materials and fine chemicals across the region. Specialized chemical tonnage has remained in tight supply for a prolonged period. Upon delivery, the two new vessels will primarily operate on Southeast Asia–Middle East and Northeast Asia–Southeast Asia trade lanes. Capitalising on Singapore’s status as a world-class petrochemical transshipment hub, the Group will secure cross-border seaborne chemical cargo orders and forge a new revenue growth driver.

 

Against the global backdrop of low-carbon transition in shipping, a suite of regulatory policies including the EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism, CII Carbon Intensity Indicator ratings and EEXI Existing Ship Energy Efficiency Index rules have come into force, pushing up berthing and compliance operating costs for ageing, high-energy-consuming vessels. Seacons has consistently implemented a fleet upgrading strategy featuring phasing out old tonnage and replacing it with eco-friendly newbuilds. Adding low-emission specialized vessels optimises the Group’s fleet mix, helping it avoid extra expenses from various maritime carbon taxes while qualifying for discounted berthing fees at low-carbon ports worldwide. To date, the Group owns and manages more than 40 vessels spanning four categories: dry bulk carriers, product tankers, chemical tankers and dual-fuel new energy ships, with route networks covering all major global trade zones.

 

Backed by its large-scale fleet and sophisticated vessel operation & maintenance management system, Seacons delivers one-stop shipping solutions for global chemical traders and shipowners, covering ocean cargo carriage, crew manning, vessel technical maintenance and carbon emission compliance optimisation. Industry analysts forecast sustained expansion of Southeast Asia’s chemical industrial chain trade volume, which will underpin long-term demand for professional liquid bulk maritime transport. The addition of these two eco-friendly chemical tankers further entrenches Seacons’ differentiated competitive edge in Southeast Asia’s niche shipping market. The Group will continue to deepen its presence in regional cross-border shipping, and capitalise on its green, specialised fleet to fully unlock trade and economic dividends under the RCEP, achieving steady, high-quality development of its core shipping business.