Thun Tankers marked another step in its fleet renewal on 9 October with the launching of Thun Resilience at the Ferus Smit shipyard in Leer, Germany. The event forms part of the company's R‑Class programme for short‑sea product tankers operating in Northern Europe.
The ceremony in Leer included a formal launch and the appointment of James Davies as Guest of Honour, underscoring the significance the company places on the series. Thun Resilience is the sixth hull to be sent down the ways in a planned ten‑vessel order.
The R‑Class programme
The R‑Class series represents a repeat run of product tankers commissioned by Thun Tankers as it renews its short‑sea fleet. With six vessels now launched, the order sits past its midpoint and keeps pace with the companys stated renewal efforts for regional trades.
The launch at Ferus Smit continues a sequence of deliveries that began with earlier sister ships in the same class. The yard in Leer has handled the construction work for the current string of hulls, producing units intended for short‑sea service in and around Northern Europe.
Short‑sea focus for Northern Europe
Thun Tankers has framed the R‑Class order as a fleet modernisation tailored to short‑sea product movements across Northern Europe. The series is designed to refresh ageing tonnage and align capacity with the operational demands of regional product trades.
Industry observers take the continuation of such programmes as an indicator of steady demand for specialised short‑sea product tonnage in the region, though the timing and use of the remaining four hulls in the order will determine the fuller impact on Thuns route structure.
The fact that Thun Resilience is the sixth of ten shows the company is progressing through a multi‑year renewal rather than a one‑off replacement. Each successive launch keeps the programme on schedule and signals the yards continuing relationship with Thun Tankers.
Sources indicated the launch and provided the date of the event as 9 October, publishing its account on 12 October 2026. The item noted the ongoing R‑Class programme and the launch ceremony at Ferus Smit in Leer, with James Davies attending as Guest of Honour.
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