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Navig8 Chemical Tankers Inc., an international shipping company focussed on the transportation of chemicals, has announced that it has entered into contracts to purchase four 49,000-deadweight-tonne (dwt) IMO2 eco-design, Interline-coated chemical tankers to be built at STX Offshore & Shipbuilding Co., Ltd. in Korea.

The company says that it has also secured options to purchase six additional sister vessels from STX.

"We are very pleased to add these modern eco-design vessels to our current newbuilding fleet," said Nicolas Busch, President and Chief Executive Officer of Navig8 Chemical Tankers. "Our best-in-class chemical tanker fleet of 36 large, fuel-efficient vessels is designed to benefit from the continuing shift to long-haul chemical trades driven by significant investment in U.S. and Middle East chemical export projects."

The vessels are to be built to the same technical specifications as the company's pre-existing orders with STX, including the capability to transport methanol and other specialty cargoes.

The four new vessels are expected to be delivered by mid-2017 and then deployed in the Chronos8 pool managed by the Navig8 Group.

Navig8 is a fully integrated provider of shipping management services. Through Navig8 Ship Management Ltd. and bunker firm Integr8 Fuels Inc., it provides technical management and bunker procurement services to its customers globally.

Integr8 Fuels has offices in Athens, Houston, Wesport, London, Oslo, Cape Town and Dubai.