The Italian company Augusta Due has recently signed a contract to purchase three new tankers with a capacity of 40,800 tons for crude and chemical transport in China. This move is part of the fleet expansion plan of this Rome-based company.
Contract details and tanker specifications
Augusta Due signed this contract with Anhui Port & Shipping Sealand Equipment, which is part of the Tongling Port & Shipping Group. No information has been released regarding the price and delivery date of the tankers.
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The new tankers are designed to carry approximately 48,500 cubic meters of cargo divided into six pairs of cargo tanks, supported by seven independent cargo transfer lines. These vessels are designed to transport chemicals as well as crude and refined petroleum products in accordance with MARPOL Annex I.
Technical and environmental features
The main and auxiliary engines of these tankers are capable of running on low-sulfur fuel oil, marine diesel, and biodiesel blends, and SCR equipment will be installed on them to comply with IMO Tier III requirements. These features demonstrate Augusta Due's commitment to maintaining environmental standards in the maritime transport industry.
Augusta Due has been active in the tanker and chemical ship sector since 1994 and operates a fleet of owned and chartered vessels with capacities ranging from 3,000 to 42,000 tons. The company primarily serves large oil customers and trading companies in the Mediterranean market.
The Barolo family, which controls the company, is currently actively adding modern ships built in China to their fleet. For example, they received the 18,500-ton Primo M from the Fujian Soutech shipyard in early 2025 and subsequently added the 18,590-ton Ginostra M to their fleet in the same year. These actions are part of their plan to replace older vessels.
This contract with Sealand represents another step for Augusta Due towards building higher-specification tankers. In July, the group signed its first contract for the construction of chemical and oil tankers with an unnamed European customer through its collaboration with the Tongling Port & Shipping Group.
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