TradeWinds first reported the deal at the start of the year and Korea's STX Offshore & Shipbuilding has now confirmed the order at STX Dalian in China.
Frontline boss Jens Martin Jensen signed the contract for four firm 181,000-dwt capesizes on Thursday.
There is an option for four more.
The price is around KRW 200bn ($187m) in total, STX said.
Delivery will be from the second half of 2014.
An STX official said: "Large bulker order signals the market is entering recovery phase. We will continue to win newbuilding orders proving our competitiveness."
Market players also said Fredriksen has inked letters of intent (LOI) at state-owned Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding for up to six capesizes.
