National Shipping Co of Saudi Arabia (Bahri) is jumping on the VLCC newbuilding bandwagon with plans to book up to eight ships.

Sources say the world’s third-largest tanker outfit has invited South Korea’s three major shipbuilders — Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI), Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI) and DSME — to tender.

The VLCC project calls for four firm vessels, plus four options.