South Korea's SPP Shipbuilding announced on February 21st that it recently booked for two 52,000-dwt newbuilding products carriers with delivery in H1 2014, valued at overall $73m, from the US-based shipowner, after having successfully inked new order for three 52,000-dwt MR tankers from Navios of Greece.
Recently contracted MR tanker can ship 2,000-ton more than existing 50,000-some deadweight tankers, while the ship is designed eco-friendly with fuel consumption being reduced by about 20%.
Meanwhile, Navios Acquisition made an announcement in February that it concluded the acquisition of three new build MR2 product tankers scheduled to be delivered from a South Korean shipyard in the second, third and fourth quarter of 2014, respectively.
SPP, having swept over half of MR newbuildings in the world last year, seems to lead the MR tanker market in 2012, as well.
According to Clarksons, the South Korean yard ranks in the 10th place, on the basis of orderbook, having secured 114 vessels of about 2m cgt as of the end of January 2012.