Japanese owner K Line has ordered three new very large crude carriers (VLCCs) from domestic builder Nihon Shipbuilding, adding to the current boom in tanker contracting.
All three vessels will be 311,000 dwt and are being developed as next-generation tankers expected to deliver better fuel efficiency and lower energy consumption.
The vessels will be designed to carry crude oil between the Middle East and Asia, through the Malacca Straits, K Line said. The three tankers are due for delivery in 2029.
The order comes as the VLCC market continues to see strong interest from shipowners. Spot-market rates for the largest crude tankers have soared to hundreds of thousands of dollars a day in recent months, prompting owners to tie up for more new tonnage.
The market strength has also seen a sharp increase in the VLCC orderbook. Maritime Strategies International says that some 54.5 million dwt of VLCC capacity was ordered in the first six months of 2026.
Therefore, the ratio of VLCCs on order to the current fleet has increased to around 35%, showing the scale of the current newbuilding cycle.
