Nisshin Shipping is to spend close to $350m on stainless-steel chemical tanker newbuildings to be powered by LNG.

Shipbuilding players said the low-profile Japanese tonnage provider has booked the eight dual-fuel vessels at Nantong Xiangyu Shipbuilding and Offshore Engineering.

The order involves a mix of 19,900-dwt and 33,000-dwt ships, and include some of the largest stainless-steel chemical tankers ever to be powered by LNG.