Italian product tanker owner d’Amico International Shipping has added two MR2 product tankers to its orderbook， pressing ahead with a fleet renewal drive built around fuel efficiency and future fuels.

The Milan-listed owner said its operating arm， d’Amico Tankers， has signed a shipbuilding contract with China’s Jiangsu New Yangzi Shipbuilding (YZJ) for two 50，000 dwt MR2 newbuildings at $45.4m apiece. The vessels are due for delivery in March and June 2029.

The deal also includes options for up to two more ships of the same design， exercisable within two months.

The latest order follows a contract signed late last year with Guangzhou Shipyard International (GSI) for two MR1 product tankers of 40，000 dwt， priced at $43.2m each and scheduled for delivery in April and July 2029. Options were also attached to that agreement.

d’Amico’s chief executive Carlos di Mottola said the new MR2s will be among the most efficient ships in the company’s fleet， burning around 17% less fuel than its existing eco MR2s. The gains come from refinements to hull design and engine efficiency， he said.

The YZJ-built vessels will be methanol-ready， certified to run on biofuels up to B100 and fitted to meet cyber resilience requirements. The yard is already building four LR1 newbuildings for the Italian owner.

With the MR2 order signed， d’Amico’s orderbook now stands at eight vessels — four LR1s， two MR1s and two MR2s — representing a total newbuilding investment of about $412.6m. The company currently operates a fleet of 29 product tankers across the MR， handysize and LR1 segments， with an average age of just under 10 years. Management said the new orders， combined with the phased disposal of older ships， are aimed at keeping the fleet competitive as charterers and regulators tighten efficiency and emissions requirements.