Xiamen Xiangyu Shipbuilding has launched the first vessel in a series of 38,000 DWT duplex stainless steel chemical tankers for the Norwegian Stolt-Nielsen group, initiating the outfitting and commissioning phase. This marks the first collaboration between Xiangyu Shipbuilding and Stolt, a leading chemical tanker operator. The vessel, classed by Lloyd's Register, features 30 independent cargo tanks with a total capacity of 43,500 cubic metres and a one-tank-one-pump arrangement for efficient cargo segregation. It is designed to meet IMO Tier III emissions standards and includes provisions for future methanol-fuel conversion and UPS battery energy storage systems. Stolt-Nielsen ordered eight such tankers from Xiangyu between 2024 and 2025, with deliveries scheduled by 2029. This order represents Stolt's renewed engagement with Chinese shipyards after several years.