The Royal Thai Navy Held a Keel-laying Ceremony for the New Oil Tanker

11 September 2026

Keel-laying ceremony for RTN's new oil tanker at TINDY, Samut Prakan, Thailand (photos: Royal Thai Navy)

The Royal Thai Navy (RTN) held a keel-laying ceremony for a new oil tanker at the shipyard of Thai International Dockyard Co., Ltd. (TINDY) in Tambon Tai Ban, Mueang District, Samut Prakan Province, Thailand, on September 1, 2026.

Admiral Pairoj Fuangchan, Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Thai Navy, presided over the keel-laying ceremony for the new oil tanker at the TINDY shipyard. TINDY is a subsidiary of the Thai SC Group and has been engaged in shipbuilding and repair operations since 1991. The Royal Thai Navy signed a contract with Thai International Dockyard Co., Ltd. via a selection process to build one oil tanker, with a total value of 434,634,000 Baht (approximately $13,198,726), on March 30, 2026.

The new oil tanker, scheduled for delivery to the Royal Thai Navy in 2028, is intended to replace an existing oil tanker. HTMS Chula (III), built by Singmarine Shipyard in Singapore, entered service on December 30, 1980. Having served for over 45 years, it is scheduled for decommissioning by 2027.

The new 65-meter-long oil tanker, built by the Thai company TINDY, will be equipped with two US-made Cummins diesel main propulsion engines (1,007 kW each) and two German-made MAN Lindenberg diesel generator engines (375 kW each). It will achieve a speed of 12 knots and carry a crew of 45. This procurement project underscores the Royal Thai Navy's long-standing support for the Thai shipbuilding industry.

(AAG)

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