Japan’s Mitsui OSK Lines (MOL) has ordered six LNG dual-fuel newbuildings — two VLCCs and four newcastlemax bulk carriers at shipyards in China worth around $560m.

The shipping giant disclosed that it has signed up for two 309,000-dwt vessels at Dalian COSCO KHI Ship Engineering (Dacks) — a joint shipyard by Kawasaki Heavy Industries and China COSCO Shipping.

MOL’s order for the large crude carriers has ended the more than one-year order drought for VLCC newbuilds at shipyards.