Shipowner John Fredriksen, dry bulk giant Cargill and South Korea’s Dong-A Tanker Co are all in talks to flip their capesize newbuilding orders into tankers.

Brokers say Fredriksen is in talks with New Times Shipbuilding to swap some of his haul of eight 180,000-dwt bulkers into crude tankers. The owner is said to be keen to convert all eight but is currently only discussing turning four of them into 160,000-dwt suezmaxes, as construction of the first four bulkers is already too far advanced.