German owner GEFO is expanding its inland gas tanker business through the acquisition of the gas shipping activities of Unigas Shipping Swiss in a deal covering seven vessels. The Hamburg-based owner said the transaction, structured as an asset deal, is expected to close in June or July 2026. The package includes three operational gas tankers that have already been trading for about two years, alongside four additional newbuildings currently under construction and scheduled for delivery in the first quarter of 2027. The existing vessels measure 135 metres in length with a beam of 11.45 metres, while the four newbuildings will be slightly smaller at 110 metres long and the same width. The move gives GEFO additional exposure to the inland gas tanker segment at a time when operators on the Rhine and wider ARA region continue to invest in newer and more flexible tonnage capable of handling low-water conditions and tighter environmental requirements. Unigas is the Swiss branch of UniBarge and manages inland gas tankers transporting products including butane, propane and ammonia across waterways linking the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany and Switzerland. Daniel Wanders, chief executive of UniBarge, said GEFO was well positioned to integrate the vessels into its existing operations. “GEFO has extensive expertise in the gas tanker segment and can optimally integrate the vessels into its existing fleet,” Wanders said. “With this sale, we will focus on expanding our core business in the future.” GEFO managing director Sven von Appen said the acquisition would support the continued renewal of the company’s fleet. “These modern tankers contribute to the further rejuvenation of our fleet,” von Appen said. “By acquiring these vessels, we are investing in our future flexibility and resilience in times of low water.” Founded in Hamburg in 1961, GEFO operates a fleet of about 150 inland tankers covering chemical, mineral oil and gas transportation across the Rhine and the Amsterdam-Rotterdam-Antwerp chemical hub. The company has been steadily modernising its fleet in recent years through a series of newbuilding investments, with additional vessels ordered in 2024 for delivery between 2026 and 2028. googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1_95_0_1_2'); }); TagsGermany Switzerland