Christening Ceremony Of M/T Marinus - Donsö!
PRESS RELEASE Donsö, 24 September 2026
Sirius christens M/T Marinus at Donsö
The first vessel of the 15K series is named at home
Sirius Shipping christens the tanker Marinus at a ceremony on Donsö on 24 September. Marinus was delivered on 10 July at China Merchants Industry Yangzhou Dingheng Shipyard in China and will sail in regular service on time charter for VAROPreem, a leading European energy company, as part of its marine logistics network.
Marinus is the third vessel Sirius and the yard have built together. The two earlier vessels, Saturnus and Mercurius, were delivered in late 2018 and early 2019. Both organisations have learned how to work together to build to the Sirius Standard, and Sirius keeps its own site team at the yard throughout the building period, working with engineers who know the standard. While the second 15K vessel is in production, steel has been cut for three of the four 8K vessels — eight Sirius vessels built or building at the yard in total.
The vessel is designed by Kongsberg Maritime to the NVC 614 CT concept and financed through Svenska Skeppshypotek. The newbuilding contract was brokered by Hans Christian Giæver-Enger at SSY (formerly Grieg Shipbrokers). Marinus carries a hybrid battery and a shore power connection allowing zero emissions at berth, is built to Ice Class 1A and is prepared for future conversion to methanol. Sirius put considerable weight on the makers list. Equipment and technology were chosen from Sirius' own experience of operating vessels in this trade, with strong support from makers who know the company and understand what the Sirius Standard means for Sirius and, in turn, for its customers.
"Eight vessels built or under construction at the same yard means we don't have to start by explaining ourselves. They know how to build to our standard, our site team knows how to work with them, and that trust makes everything go faster. The yard has evolved since we built Saturnus and Mercurius, just as we have, and Marinus has benefited from that. Marinus is built for the cargoes and the waters VAROPreem operates in, and for the people who work onboard. We put as much thought into how people live and work onboard as into how the vessel carries cargo." — Jonas Backman, Managing Director, Sirius Shipping
“Marius is a powerful example of a strategic partnership between an integrated energy company and the supply chain. Energy may be traded globally, but ultimately it is a physical business. You need the infrastructure and capabilities to get it where it is needed. By connecting our global sourcing and trading capabilities with our manufacturing system, logistics network and customers, Marinus gives us greater flexibility and more options in constantly changing markets. Importantly, the vessel can move both the conventional products our customers depend on today and the renewable feedstocks and products that will increasingly flow through our system, supporting both resilience and the energy transition.”
— Dev Sanyal, Group CEO, VAROPreem
Sirius and VAROPreem have worked together for more than 30 years, with Sirius vessels serving VAROPreem continuously over that period. The two companies extended their time charter agreements during 2025. Marinus is the first of the two new 15K vessels to join VAROPreem’s marine logistics, with sister vessel Maximus entering the same arrangement on delivery.
In connection with the christening, Marinus is open to visitors at Donsö Djuphamn during the afternoon, followed by celebrations in the evening for invited guests. The godmother is Agneta Backman, part of the family behind Sirius and married to Managing Director Jonas Backman.
Facts: M/T Marinus (Evolution 15K) Length 147.00 m · Beam 22.00 m · Summer draught 9.10 m · Deadweight 15,215 MT · Cargo capacity 17,530 m³ · Main engine 5,850 kW · Ice Class 1A · Hybrid battery 420 kWh · Shore power 1,000 kW · MarineLine coated tanks · Methanol prepared
About Sirius Shipping Sirius Shipping is a family-owned company based on the island of Donsö outside Gothenburg, with operations across Sirius Shipping, Sirius Chartering and Sirius Agency. The Sirius Way is Sirius' shared culture and runs through everything Sirius does – internally and externally, ashore and onboard. Through the sustainability strategy Pathway to Zero, Sirius works actively to reduce its environmental impact and drive the transition toward more sustainable shipping. Sirius – The Long-Term First Choice.
About VAROPreem VAROPreem is a leading energy company formed through the combination of VARO and Preem. It operates across manufacturing, trading and logistics with a balanced portfolio spanning conventional and sustainable fuels. With seven manufacturing hubs, access to more than 120 terminals, and serving business customers in 33 countries, VAROPreem plays a key role in delivering energy security and lower carbon solutions for its customers.
Press contact Jonas Backman, Managing Director jonas.backman@siriusshipping.eu +46 708 97 01 55
