Bahri orders three VLCCs from Saudi shipyard IMI

Bahri has moved to bolster its fleet capacity by ordering three large crude carriers from the Saudi shipyard International Maritime Industries (IMI). The vessels are scheduled for delivery between 2029 and 2030.

The contract highlights a strategic shift in procurement, as the pricing for these newbuildings reportedly exceeds current estimates for similar VLCC tonnage provided by Clarksons. This premium suggests that Bahri is prioritizing the development of domestic maritime infrastructure and sovereign build capabilities over short-term capital expenditure optimization.

By committing to a domestic order at prices above established market benchmarks, Bahri is effectively underwriting the maturation of IMI’s heavy-vessel construction capabilities. For the wider tanker market, this development serves as an early indicator of a long-term shift where state-backed fleet expansion is decoupled from traditional global shipbuilding cost-competitiveness to support regional industrial localization.