India’s Reliance Industries is making a big push on the shipowning front with an order for half-a-dozen very large ethane carriers (VLECs)

Industry sources say the conglomerate has gone to Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI) for the new breed of 87,000-cbm gas carriers priced at slightly more than $120m each.

Some shipping players were surprised that Reliance had concluded the deal, as they expected the company to be an end-user and charter in the vessels from other owners.

Reliance