London, United Kingdom | November 10, 2025 – Navig8, a leading international shipping pool operator and commercial management company, has announced a significant expansion of its chemical tanker portfolio after successfully concluding a transaction with German shipowner Leonhardt & Blumberg. The deal will see six newbuild Marineline IMO2 MR (Medium Range) vessels join Navig8’s commercial management fleet.
The addition of these modern, specialized tankers is a major strategic move, reinforcing Navig8’s strong conviction in the long-term fundamentals of the IMO2 market segment.
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Six New Vessels to Bolster Gamma8 Pool
The six new vessels, classified as IMO2 MR tankers—meaning they are purpose-built to carry a wide range of less-hazardous chemicals, as well as refined petroleum products (CPP), vegetable oils, and fats—will be commercially managed by Navig8 under a combination of time-charter and pooling agreements.
Crucially for the market, the vessels will trade within Navig8’s dedicated IMO2 MR Pool, Gamma8.
The phased delivery of these newbuilds will substantially boost the Gamma8 fleet:
- The Gamma8 pool will expand to 25 vessels in 2026.
- The fleet will further grow to 29 vessels in 2027.
This significant increase in managed tonnage further strengthens Navig8’s position in the highly specialized and lucrative IMO2 MR segment, providing both charterers and pool partners with increased scale, flexibility, and optimized trade route deployment.
Strong Market Conviction Drives Strategy
While specific financial and delivery details of the transaction remain confidential, Navig8 CEO Nicolas Busch expressed strong confidence in the acquisition’s strategic value:
“We are pleased to welcome Leonhardt & Blumberg as a new partner, further strengthening our presence in the IMO2 segment. This transaction reflects our strong conviction in the fundamentals of the IMO2 market and our confidence in Gamma8’s ability to deliver enhanced value and earnings performance.”
The move aligns with broader market trends indicating a tightening supply-demand balance in the product and chemical tanker sectors, particularly for modern, efficient IMO2-compliant tonnage. The IMO2 designation is key, as these vessels are essential for transporting a growing global volume of specialized chemicals and vegetable oils, which are seeing increased demand across the Asia-Pacific region.
Impact on Bunkering and Operations
For the bunkering sector, the integration of six newbuild vessels points toward greater stability and predictability in fuel purchasing for the Gamma8 pool. Navig8, through its affiliated marine fuels provider, supplies millions of metric tonnes of bunkers annually. Adding new, potentially more fuel-efficient vessels to the pool allows for optimised fuel consumption and future fuel readiness.
This expansion solidifies Navig8’s commercial management prowess and signals continued health in the specialized tanker newbuilding market, with a clear focus on acquiring high-specification assets that meet stringent IMO regulations.
Leonhardt & Blumberg: Navigating Global Shipping with Expertise
Leonhardt & Blumberg is an established international shipowner and manager, recognized for strategically navigating a specialized fleet comprised of container feeder vessels and medium-range (MR) product tankers. Based in Germany, the company integrates deep industry experience with a forward-looking operational approach, positioning its assets to meet the dynamic demands of global trade.
Comprehensive Shipping Integration
Leonhardt & Blumberg’s distinct operational model spans the entire shipping value chain, ensuring comprehensive quality control and asset management from conception through daily operation. The company is actively involved in all critical steps of the shipping lifecycle:
- Building: Strategic oversight of the shipbuilding process to ensure assets meet high standards of design and efficiency.
- Finance: Expert financial management and structuring to support fleet acquisition and growth.
- Nautic-Technical Ship Management: Providing in-house, experienced, and well-attuned technical and nautical management to maintain vessel integrity and operational safety.
- Crewing: Dedication to professional crewing and maritime excellence, ensuring ships are operated by highly competent personnel.
Strategic and Resilient Management
The company operates with a philosophy that balances prudence with proactivity. Leonhardt & Blumberg acts considerately in its day-to-day management but is also prepared to take bold decisions necessary to secure long-term value and remain competitive. This strategic flexibility ensures the company stays well-equipped to manage upcoming challenges in the regulatory, commercial, and technical spheres of the maritime industry.
Its focus on high-specification MR product tankers, as highlighted by the recent transaction with Navig8, underscores its commitment to the specialized chemical and product trades—segments that require technical proficiency and offer robust earnings potential.
Navig8 Group: A Global Powerhouse in Tanker Commercial Management
Navig8 Group is a world-leading international shipping pool operator and commercial management company, specializing primarily in the tanker market, covering crude, refined products, and chemicals. Established in 2007, the company has rapidly built a diverse global footprint and an entrepreneurial culture focused on maximizing revenue for its partners through scale, proprietary information, and commercial flexibility.
Commercial Pooling
Navig8’s core business revolves around operating industry-leading shipping pools. This model allows independent shipowners to consolidate their vessels, leveraging the combined fleet size and Navig8’s extensive network of relationships with major oil companies and commodities traders.
The pools span the entire tanker spectrum, including:
- VLCC (Very Large Crude Carrier)
- Suezmax and Aframax (Crude Tankers)
- LR2, LR1, and MR (Long Range and Medium Range Product Tankers)
- IMO2 Chemical MR (e.g., the Gamma8 pool, which handles specialized chemical and product cargoes)
This pooling structure generates superior information flow, minimizes ballast time, and optimizes vessel deployment to maximize pool distributions for shipowners.
Diversified Services and Ecosystem
Navig8 is a fully integrated provider, with business interests extending beyond core commercial management:
- Owned Fleet: In addition to managing vessels for partners, Navig8 maintains a modern, owned fleet of tankers.
- Marine Fuels: The group holds investments in a significant marine fuels provider (Integr8 Fuels), which supplies millions of metric tonnes of bunkers annually, offering a direct link to the bunkering market.
- Technology and ESG: Navig8 heavily utilizes advanced IT systems and in-house research to optimize trading strategies. It focuses on sustainability, using platforms like Shipwatch for voyage execution and integrating CII monitoring systems to ensure its managed fleet maintains high environmental performance standards.
- Technical Management: It also holds investments in technical management companies.
A New Era: Acquisition by ADNOC L&S
A transformative milestone for Navig8 was the acquisition of an 80% stake in the company by ADNOC Logistics and Services (ADNOC L&S), the maritime logistics arm of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company.
- Transaction Value: The initial 80% stake was acquired for $1.04 billion, with a commitment to acquire the remaining 20% in mid-2027.
- Strategic Rationale: This deal immediately expanded ADNOC L&S’s global reach, added Navig8’s full suite of commercial pooling and bunkering services to its portfolio, and reinforced the combined entity’s position as a leading global energy maritime logistics provider.
- Integration: The acquisition immediately saw 20 ADNOC L&S tankers (including VLCCs, LR2s, and LR1s) transition into Navig8’s pools, leveraging Navig8’s commercial expertise and generating significant operational synergies.
Navig8 maintains a global presence with offices in cities across five continents, including its key hubs in Dubai and London, providing 24/7 support to its worldwide customer base.
Source: Navig8 Group