Tanker owner Euronav has been linked to an order for a VLCC newbuilding at Hyundai Samho Heavy Industries worth KRW 106bn ($93.3m).

Parent Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering Co (KSOE) said on Monday it had signed up for a 300,000-dwt crude oil tanker newbuilding with a European company for delivery by the second half of 2023.

The Hyundai Heavy Industries Holdings unit did not disclose the buyer’s name but said the VLCC will be constructed at Hyundai Samho.

Officials at KSOE declined to comment on the buyer’s identity, citing contract confidentiality.

But shipbuilding sources said Euronav booked the tanker by exercising an option held at Hyundai Samho when it signed up for two VLCCs in April. The duo, which will be LNG-ready when built, was reportedly priced at KRW 104bn each ($91.5m at today's exchange rate). Euronav was also looking at an ammonia-ready notation for the vessels.

Mokpo-based Hyundai Samho is slated to deliver these two vessels from the fourth quarter of 2022.

A spokesman for Euronav declined to comment on the order talk.

Euronav is making a big push on its VLCC fleet. In addition to ordering newbuildings, it has also tapped the resale market for additional tonnage.

The company is scheduled to take delivery of four 300,000-dwt VLCC newbuildings from Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering this year. It bought the quartet early last year for $93.5m each. The four newbuildings were originally ordered by South Korea’s Sinokor Merchant Marine.

Euronav has also been renewing its suezmaxes. Early this month, it was named as being behind an order for two newbuildings, plus an option for a third suezmax at Hyundai Samho. The deal is worth almost $200m if the option is exercised.

Euronav was reported to have opted to build the 158,000-dwt ships LNG-ready, with an intention to upgrade this to ammonia-ready when this notation is available. Hyundai Samho is slated to deliver the firm newbuildings by February 2024.

The Belgian tanker owner also recently sold the 150,000-dwt Filikon (built 2002) for $16.3m and will book a capital gain of $9.3m in the second quarter from the sale.

Brokers originally said a Chinese outfit had bought the suezmax.

The Japanese-built Filikon has since been renamed Katiuska and is registered under the ownership of Hong Kong-registered Katiuska Marine, according to IHS Markit data.