Sources indicated on 21 October 2026 that the pool of shipyards building tankers is expanding, with a notable rise in first-time orders at newbuild yards this year.
VesselsValue’s newbuild orderbook data shows 51 vessels were ordered for the first time at newbuild yards in 2026, an increase of 34% from 38 such orders in 2025. The numbers indicate a clear uptick in first-time activity among builders, the report said.
The reports item described a mix of brand-new builders and established builders extending into the tanker sector for the first time. This widening of the builder base was the central theme of the coverage.
The article additionally refers to eighteen more-established yards in the same context. The note in the report points to a broader range of entrants than in recent years.
Orderbook figures and trend
The raw comparison between 2025 and 2026 is simple: 38 first-time orders recorded in 2025 rose to 51 in 2026, per the VesselsValue dataset cited. That 34% increase is the clearest quantitative signal in the report.
The figures relate specifically to vessels ordered for the first time at yards new to tanker work. The dataset that underpins the comparison is described in the report as the newbuild orderbook maintained by VesselsValue.
Who is entering the market
The coverage emphasises two distinct cohorts of entrants: newly established yards setting up to build tankers, and established yards branching into tanker construction for the first time. Both categories were identified as contributing to the wider roster of builders.
The report’s brief mention of eighteen more-established yards underlines that not only fresh entrants are at play; existing yards are also, in some cases, moving into tanker newbuilds.
Possible market implications
The report itself does not elaborate on downstream effects, but the documented increase in first-time orders and the broader builder base will be closely watched by shipowners and charterers, according to the coverage. How order distribution, delivery schedules and yard capacity adjust to the wider set of builders was presented as an open question.
Shipyard diversification in tanker construction was the central factual point of the reports item, with VesselsValue data supplying the quantitative backbone of the piece.
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