John Fredriksen’s Seatankers Management is said to have extended a VLCC newbuilding series at Dalian Shipbuilding Industry Co (DSIC) with the addition of two extra vessels.
Shipbuilding sources said the large crude carriers were options the Norwegian shipowner held at the yard.
Exercising them brings Seatankers’ tally of 307,000-dwt vessels on order at DSIC to eight.
The Cyprus-based shipping company is said to be paying about $120m each for the scrubber-fitted ships.
Shipbuilding sources said Seatankers ordered the vessels some time ago but the deal went unreported.
Clarksons’ Shipping Intelligence Network shows Seatankers is scheduled to take delivery of the newbuildings in the second half of 2026 and the first quarter of 2028.
DSIC will construct three newbuildings while its subsidiary, CSSC Tianjin Shipbuilding, will build five.
The ships will meet IMO NOx-Tier III regulations and Energy Efficiency Design Index Phase 3 requirements.
Billionaire Fredriksen, who turned 80 two months ago, believes 2024 “could be the start of a multi-year recovery cycle in tankers”.
His optimistic view is based on a historically low tanker orderbook and the fact that the world still needs oil.
According to SIN, the VLCC newbuilding orderbook stands at 65, or about 7% of the existing fleet.
Of the 65 newbuildings, 47 were inked this year. Shipping companies that have ordered the ship type include Dynacom Tankers, Ray Car Carriers, DHT Holdings, Magni Partners, Mercuria, Assyad Shipping and Capital Maritime & Trading.
Seatankers’ orderbook
In May, Seatankers splashed out about $274m ordering a series of newcastlemax newbuildings. The deal is believed to be the company’s first order for large bulkers since 2018.
It has contracted Qingdao Yangfan Shipbuilding, also known as Qingdao Shipyard, to build four 210,000-dwt newbuildings for delivery in 2027 and 2028.
Like the VLCCs, the company has also opted for conventional marine fuel for the newcastlemaxes.
SIN shows Qingdao Shipyard is also building four kamsarmax bulkers for Seatankers. Fredriksen ordered the quartet last year.
The SDARI-designed conventional marine fuel 82,000-dwt bulkers were reported to cost about $33m apiece and are scheduled to roll out of the dry dock between 2025 and 2026.
