Ardmore Shipping has exercised its final two options at China's Wuhu Shipyard, bringing its product and chemical tanker newbuilding programme to six vessels worth approximately $269m.

The New York-listed owner has contracted for another two 40,500 dwt handysize tankers, with the latest pair agreed on similar terms to the four ships already on order. Ardmore confirmed that no further options remain under the arrangement, and the full six-ship series is scheduled to begin delivering from late 2028.

Ardmore first entered Wuhu in April with two firm ships priced at $44.9m each, alongside options for another two. That price included around $3m per vessel for full IMO2 specification and MarineLine tank coatings, giving the ships the flexibility to switch between clean petroleum products and higher-spec chemical cargoes — a dual-capability design that lets owners pursue whichever trade offers better returns without being locked into a single cargo segment.

The company moved quickly to expand the programme. As reported by Splash in June, Ardmore exercised the first pair of options, lifting its orderbook to four ships while securing rights over another two on similar terms.

Applying the $44.9m price disclosed for the initial vessels, the latest pair represents about $89.8m of additional investment, putting the value of the complete six-ship programme at roughly $269.4m.

The Wuhu series forms the centrepiece of Ardmore's fleet renewal drive, with the late-2028 delivery window positioning the new tonnage to replace older ships as they age out of the fleet. The company has also been capitalising on firm secondhand values, having agreed earlier this year to sell a 2014-built MR tanker for $35.5m — a sale that illustrates the strength of the asset values supporting owners' willingness to renew fleets at today's newbuild prices.

The order adds to a broader flow of tanker newbuilding contracts placed at Chinese yards, where shipbuilders have attracted significant owner interest across segments in recent ordering cycles.