German owner Leonhardt & Blumberg has ordered another pair of MR chemical and product tanker newbuildings at Guangzhou Shipyard International (GSI), extending its rapid expansion into the tanker sector.

The Hamburg-based company signed for two additional 49,500 dwt vessels with CSSC's GSI, adding to a series at the yard that began two years ago. Broker reports indicate the latest pair is scheduled for delivery in 2029. The 2029 delivery slot aligns with the long lead times currently typical at major shipyards, where newbuild berths across tanker segments have been filling up as owners commit tonnage well in advance.

The new ships follow the same basic specification as the existing newbuilds, fitted with scrubbers and built to methanol-ready designs. Scrubbers allow continued use of conventional fuel while meeting sulphur caps, and methanol-ready designs preserve the option of converting to the alternative fuel as methanol bunkering infrastructure develops, an approach a growing number of tanker owners have adopted to hedge future environmental regulation.

The order marks the second time this year that Leonhardt & Blumberg has expanded the programme. As Splash reported in February, the company added two ships to four units contracted in 2024, bringing its orderbook at GSI to six vessels.

The first ship from the programme, the 49,500 dwt Hansa Guangzhou, was delivered in June. According to Leonhardt & Blumberg, the vessel complies with Tier III and EEDI Phase 3 requirements. Its delivery was followed this month by that of the Hansa Genoe.

The original six ships are covered by a commercial management agreement with Navig8 signed last November. Navig8 is one of the largest commercial pool operators in the product tanker market, and such arrangements are a common way for owners new to a segment to access cargo networks and employment without building their own commercial organisations.

Leonhardt & Blumberg entered the product tanker segment only in 2022, having spent much of its modern history as a handysize containership tonnage provider. Its website currently lists 20 containerships, six product tankers and three multipurpose vessels. The pivot reflects a broader pattern among German owners, who have increasingly diversified beyond their traditional containership chartering business into tankers and other segments in recent years. With the latest two units, the company's tanker fleet and orderbook at GSI now spans ten vessels.