James Fisher to enhance its fleet of the future with four new state-of-the-art tanker vessels

James Fisher and Sons plc. (James Fisher) has ordered four new state-of-the-art vessels from China Merchants Jinling Shipyard (Yangzhou) Dingheng Co Ltd. The contract marks a continuation of the company’s commitment to building its ‘fleet of the future’ and driving innovation and sustainability in maritime operations.

The new tankers, which will carry oil products and IMO Class II chemicals, will have LNG dual fuel propulsion capability that will help to reduce operational CO2 emissions and associated environmental impact over the long-term. A number of successful features that will add to the overall sustainability of the new builds have been carried over from recent additions to the company’s fleet, vessels Sir John Fisher and Lady Maria Fisher. These include optimised hull form, waste heat recovery through cooling water and exhaust gas, 100 percent LED lighting and environmentally controlled engine room fans. In addition, the vessels will incorporate further energy efficiency measures to enhance their sustainability, in particular to address emissions in port.

Steel cutting took place in November 2024, with delivery of the first tanker expected at the end of 2025. The new vessels are a key part of the company’s strategy for the future, to enhance its service offering and operational efficiency.

Cyrille Levesque, James Fisher’s Chief Technology Officer, commented, “Our ‘Fleet of the Future’ strategy focuses on integrating improved design and advanced technologies to enhance the sustainability of our vessels and optimise overall performance.

“These measures will help us build a resilient maritime fleet that prioritises crew safety and wellbeing while enhancing vessel management to help us serve our customers’ needs in a more efficient and less carbon-intensive way.”

Krystyna Tsochlas, James Fisher’s Head of Maritime Transport, added, “With this project we are bringing pioneering new technologies and sustainable practices to the maritime sector. These new vessels will enable us to support our long-standing customers while helping them to achieve their environmental performance and sustainability ambitions.

“We are firm in our commitment to environmental stewardship, and the new vessels will feature technologies aimed at reducing emissions across our shipping operations, improving our efficiency and strengthening our commitment to delivering a low carbon future.”

James Fisher is a global engineering services company operating across three core sectors, energy, defence and maritime transport.