China Merchants Energy Shipping (CMES) has announced a significant strategic shift with the confirmation of a RMB 1.79 billion order for 1+1 Suezmax-class DP Shuttle Tankers (DPST), partnering with Dalian Shipbuilding. The contract, signed through CMES’s subsidiary Associated Maritime Company (H.K.) LTD. (AMCL), marks CMES’s first foray into the DP shuttle tanker sector, traditionally dominated by offshore logistics rather than standard crude trading. The deal includes one firm vessel and an option for a second, with delivery expected in 2028. CMES revealed that the investment is anchored by a long-term time charter to support a deepwater offshore development project for a core customer. This move is expected to diversify CMES’s portfolio by pairing newbuilds with stable, contract-backed revenue, and demonstrates a cautious approach with an initial ship and a potential expansion based on operational success.