China’s Nanjing Tanker has added three more vessels to its growing orderbook， signing up for a trio of stainless steel chemical tankers at a domestic shipyard.

The Shanghai-listed owner， part of China Merchants Group， said in a filing that its wholly owned subsidiary， Nanjing Yangyang Chemical Transportation & Trading， has contracted Yangzhou Dingheng Shipyard for three 6，600 dwt units.

The total contract price， including tax， stands at about $71m， with ships scheduled for delivery in the first half of 2028.

Nanjing Tanker controls a fleet of more than 70 vessels and has been steadily modernizing its line-up with new MR， LR1 and LR2 tonnage.

The latest deal builds on a string of domestic orders placed over the past year as Nanjing Tanker pushes ahead with fleet renewal. Earlier contracts include two LR1 panamax crude and product carriers and a pair of LR2 tankers at Dalian Shipbuilding Industry Corporation， as well as a 9，500 cu m ethylene carrier at China Merchants Jinling Shipyard Yangzhou Dingheng.

Established in 1993， the company underwent a leadership change last year， with Lei Ding， vice president at China Merchants Energy Shipping (CMES) and former general manager at Hong Kong Ming Wah Shipping， taking over the helm.

The company’s chemical tankers arm currently operates 12 vessels， mainly engaged in domestic coastal shipping， routes from Japan and South Korea to China， and across the Taiwan Strait.