Chinese chemical tanker operator Nanjing Shenghang Shipping Co Ltd has formally opened its Singapore arm as it steps up efforts to expand beyond the domestic coastal market.

The opening ceremony for Shenghang Shipping (Singapore) Pte Ltd was held at the Mandarin Oriental Singapore on 9 July, attended by company executives, customers and industry partners.

Shenghang said the Singapore platform will focus on developing higher-value chemical cargoes, opening new routes and markets, improving customer service and lifting the commercial performance of its international fleet.

The company already operates overseas through Hong Kong-based shipping and vessel-owning entities, but the Singapore operation is expected to play a broader role in chartering, customer development and regional fleet deployment.

Shenghang controlled 54 vessels totalling about 424,900 dwt at the end of 2025. Its fleet included 34 domestic chemical tankers, 13 domestic product tankers, one LPG carrier and six internationally trading chemical tankers totalling around 73,400 dwt.

The company is also pursuing a long-term 100-vessel plan, which management said will involve further fleet expansion and vessel upgrades.

Co-chairman Li Taoyuan said Singapore would help Shenghang deepen its presence in Southeast Asia and extend its services to global customers.

General manager Li Guanghong described the opening as a new starting point for Shenghang’s international development, adding that the company would continue to prioritise safety, compliance and service quality.

Shenghang’s expansion comes after Wanda Holdings Group became its controlling shareholder in early 2025. The group said it intends to use its broader petrochemical and trading resources to support Shenghang’s overseas growth.

The move follows a wider international push by China’s specialist chemical tanker owners. Rival Xingtong Shipping Co Ltd has also expanded its foreign-trading fleet and developed Singapore-based operations.

Shenghang’s new base suggests competition between China’s leading chemical tanker companies is increasingly moving from the domestic coastal market into international chartering and higher-specification cargoes.