Against the backdrop of increasing divergence in the global shipping market and continuously high prices for newly built vessels, Zodiac Maritime, under Eyal Ofer, is advancing its fleet renewal plan at an unprecedented pace. Recently, the company made another move at Jiangsu New Hantong Shipbuilding & Heavy Industry Co., Ltd., ordering four Suezmax crude oil tankers. This brings its total order for this vessel type at the shipyard to nine, with cumulative orders for Suezmax tankers reaching thirteen. The blueprint to double its fleet size in this segment is now clearly taking shape.

According to estimates from shipbroking firms, the current price for a newly built Suezmax tanker at Chinese shipyards is approximately $89 million per vessel, bringing the total value of the four-ship order to about $356 million. The new ships are scheduled for delivery in 2029.

Notably, this marks the first time Zodiac Maritime has ordered Suezmax tankers from New Hantong, signaling that their partnership has expanded from Ultra Large Crude Carriers (VLCCs) into the medium-sized tanker market. In fact, since late 2025, New Hantong has become one of the most crucial partners in Zodiac Maritime's latest fleet renewal initiative. In October 2025, Zodiac Maritime signed a mega-deal with the private Chinese shipbuilder for up to eight VLCCs and six 9,000 TEU container ships, with each VLCC priced at around $125 million; deliveries for the first batch are expected to begin in the second half of 2028. Subsequently, Zodiac Maritime confirmed the execution of backup options for the VLCCs, bringing its total VLCC orders at New Hantong to eight, valued at approximately $980 million. Combined with the latest order for four Suezmax tankers, their cooperation now spans three vessel types totaling 18 new ships, with a combined value of roughly $1.936 billion.

Zodiac Maritime’s increased investment in the Suezmax segment is not an isolated case. In January of this year, the company also placed an additional order for one 157,000 DWT Suezmax crude oil tanker at Samsung Heavy Industries' Vietnam shipyard, valued at approximately $85 million and slated for delivery in 2029, raising the number of Suezmax orders at that facility to four.

Through this series of intensive orders, Zodiac Maritime’s total backlog of Suezmax tankers has reached thirteen, which will double its fleet size in this niche market upon delivery. Meanwhile, the company has been systematically updating its oil tanker fleet through newbuild projects, having already taken delivery of two newly built Suezmax tankers from Japanese shipyards since 2025.

Zodiac Maritime’s aggressive moves in the tanker market represent just the tip of the iceberg of its massive fleet renewal plan covering multiple shipping sectors. As of May 2026, the company’s total backlog of newbuild orders has surpassed 50 vessels, with deliveries extending into 2030 and total investments exceeding $4 billion, making it one of the most active shipowners in the global shipping market over the past two years.

Beyond crude oil tankers, Zodiac Maritime’s capacity expansion has extended into product tankers, container ships, Pure Car and Truck Carriers (PCTC), and gas carriers. Including vessels currently under construction, the company holds a total of approximately 80 orders and active vessels across crude oil, refined products, liquefied gas, and chemical transportation.

In the PCTC sector, Zodiac Maritime recently added two 7,000-car-unit LNG dual-fuel car carriers at Yantai CIMC Raffles Offshore, scheduled for delivery in 2028, further expanding its growing auto transport business.

Perhaps even more noteworthy is Zodiac Maritime’s recent official entry into the ammonia transport sector. The company has signed a contract with Hanwha Ocean for three Very Large Ammonia Carriers (VLACs), along with options for two additional vessels. The firm order is valued at approximately $345 million, potentially rising to $575 million if all options are exercised. All vessels are expected to be delivered before January 2030. This significant order underscores Zodiac Maritime’s strategic early positioning for the future green energy shipping market, catering to the long-term transportation demands of low-carbon fuels and green energy supply chains.