London-based Union Maritime has taken delivery of the Long Range 2 tanker, Spa, built by China’s Yangzijiang Shipbuilding. The LNG dual-fuel vessel is fitted with two WindWings from UK wind sail  company, Bar Technologies. 

The tanker, claimed to be the most advanced LR2 on the water, has been designed to slash emissions without compromising operational efficiency and strong commercial performance. The vessel is one of the company’s LR2 newbuild series, each of which will be named after Formula 1 circuits. A sister vessel is due for delivery from the Chinese builder in March. 

The Spa is intended to comply with FuelEU maritime regulations, including Phase 3, until 2040. Performance assessments indicate an almost 50% improvement against the IMO’s Energy Efficiency Design Index baseline and a close to 30% improvement against the EEDI Phase 3 level.

Union Maritime’s Managing Director, Laurent Cadji, who set up the company 20 years ago, commented: “The delivery of MT Spa marks an important step in the delivery of our long-term strategy. By combining LNG dual fuel capability with wind-assisted propulsion, we are investing in solutions that deliver tangible emissions reductions today, while retaining the flexibility required for the future. This approach underpins our fleet renewal programme and our commitment to decarbonisation at scale.”

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The Cadji family are the main shareholders in Union Maritime which operates a fleet of more than 70 ships – close to 60 tankers, more than ten bulk carriers, and several offshore vessels. The company has 34 tankers on order in various segments including ‘intermediates’ of about 18,500 dwt, Handymax, MRs, Aframax and LR2s of up to 115,000 dwt.