Beihai Shipbuilding Names Two 319,000 DWT Ammonia-Ready VLCCs for CMB.TECH

Qingdao Beihai Shipbuilding Heavy Industry (BSIC), a subsidiary of China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC), has held a naming ceremony for two 319,000-dwt ammonia-ready very large crude oil carriers (VLCCs) that will join the fleet of Belgium’s CMB.TECH.

According to the China Ship Design & Research Center (CSDC)—which designed the vessels—the clean fuel-ready duo was christened on November 4, 2025, at BSIC’s yard and named Atrebates and Eburones.

Technical Details and Specifications

The newbuildings, which will reportedly be managed by CMB.TECH’s oil tanker brand Euronav, belong to the company’s Morning Star ship series.

Classed by the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS), the VLCCs feature:

• Overall length:5 meters
• Beam: 60 meters
• Draft:5 meters
• Speed:5 knots

These specifications align with global VLCC standards while incorporating next-generation clean fuel capabilities.

Ammonia-Ready Design and Environmental Impact

Built with readiness for conversion to run on ammonia fuel, the tankers are expected to achieve substantial reductions in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, meeting international environmental compliance benchmarks.

When fueled by ammonia, the VLCCs could:

• Emit zero sulfur oxides (SOx)
• Produce zero particulate matter (PM2.5)
• Reduce nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions by up to 94%

Design Innovations

CSDC officials explained that both Atrebates and Eburones were designed with reserved space to accommodate two 6,000 cbm ammonia tanks each, allowing for retrofitting within one month.

The ships will be compatible with ammonia engines manufactured by Swiss marine power company WinGD, reinforcing their clean-fuel readiness.

Part of CMB.TECH’s Expanding Green Fleet

The vessels are part of an order placed in August 2023, when Euronav commissioned Beihai Shipbuilding for their construction. The deal marked Beihai Shipbuilding’s debut in the VLCC segment.

Over the past few years, Beihai and CMB.TECH have signed agreements for more than 30 ships, including five very large crude oil tankers and twenty-eight 210,000-ton bulkers.

In April 2025, BSIC delivered one ship from the bulker series—an ammonia-ready 300-meter vessel, which was the seventh unit handed over by Beihai that year.

Recent Milestones in Beihai’s Green Shipbuilding

In mid-October 2025, BSIC also floated out two 210,000-dwt ammonia-powered bulk carriers (Hulls No. 45 and 54) and held a keel-laying ceremony for another pair of 210,000-dwt ammonia-ready bulkers (Hulls No. 56 and 63) for CMB.TECH.