Nanjing Tanker Corporation， part of China Merchants Group， has tapped a sister company to build an 18，000 dwt chemical tanker as it starts a fleet rejuvenation programme.

Nanjing Tanker has contracted China Merchants Jinling Shipyard to build the vessel， which is costing $34.5m to complete.

Nanjing Tanker’s fleet today comprises 43 vessels， made up of crude and chemical tankers as well as five small gas carriers.