Venergy Maritime is accelerating its expansion into the crude tanker segment, securing firm orders for two suezmax newbuildings at China’s Hengli Shipbuilding, with options in place for two additional vessels as part of a broader fleet-building strategy.
The Piraeus-based owner, led by Vyron Vasileiadis, has contracted two 158,000 dwt suezmax tankers at the Dalian yard. The optional vessels, if exercised, are scheduled for delivery in 2029, while the firm units are expected to be delivered in the fourth quarter of 2028.
No official contract value has been disclosed, but market estimates indicate that comparable Chinese-built suezmax vessels are currently priced at around $89 million each.
The latest move marks another step in Venergy Maritime’s rapid and highly structured tanker expansion programme. The company has been steadily building its crude carrier platform from scratch, following earlier suezmax orders placed across multiple Chinese shipyards.
Venergy has deliberately adopted a diversified shipbuilding strategy, spreading its newbuilding programme across several Asian yards and vessel segments. Its portfolio includes MR2 product tanker orders at South Korea’s K Shipbuilding, LR2 tankers at New Times Shipbuilding, and additional suezmax tonnage contracted with Hengli Shipbuilding, CSSC Guangzhou Shipyard International and Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding.
This aggressive ordering campaign comes less than a year after Vyron Vasileiadis entered the shipping sector independently through the acquisition of three secondhand MR2 tankers. Since then, the group has expanded at remarkable speed, rapidly building a significant orderbook spanning both tanker and containership markets.
In total, over the past 11 months, the wider V Group has contracted 28 newbuildings across tankers and container vessels, representing investments exceeding $1.5 billion before optional vessels are included. If all options are exercised, the total investment pipeline could approach $2 billion, with further expansion still possible.
The latest suezmax agreement also highlights the growing role of Hengli Shipbuilding in the global tanker orderbook. The Chinese yard has become one of the most active players in the sector, attracting strong demand from owners seeking competitive pricing and available delivery slots amid a tight global shipbuilding market.
Alongside tanker growth, Venergy’s sister company OceanV Maritime has been expanding its presence in the containership segment, giving the broader V Group exposure to two of shipping’s most important markets. Beyond shipowning, the group is also active in shipping services, port reception facilities, waste management and alternative fuels.
With this latest order, the V Group now controls a fleet and orderbook exceeding 30 vessels in just over a year since launching its independent shipping platform, underscoring the scale and pace of its expansion strategy.
