Akrotiri Tankers, the newly formed Greek shipowner led by Marielena Procopiou and her husband Konstantinos Lampsias, has placed its first newbuilding order, marking a milestone in the company’s expansion. According to market sources, the Athens-based company has signed a contract for two LR1 product tankers at New Times Shipbuilding in China. While pricing has not been disclosed, industry estimates put current LR1 newbuilding values around $59m apiece. The order highlights Akrotiri Tankers’ strategy to focus on the LR1 segment, where it has already built a foothold through the purchase of three secondhand ships for about $80m since its launch earlier this year, including the 2010-built Castor I (pictured). Deliveries of the newbuildings are expected by the end of 2028. The move also strengthens the Prokopiou family’s footprint in the product tanker space. Marielena’s father, veteran shipowner George Procopiou, has a series of LR1s on order at his Dynacom Tankers Management. Beyond Akrotiri, Procopiou and Lampsias manage Delos Navigation, a dry bulk venture with a fleet of 10 bulk carriers acquired on the secondhand market. googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1_95_0_1_2'); }); TagsGreece