John Fredriksen has agreed to buy two drillships cancelled at DSME by his Seadrill company for $592m.

His Northern Drilling venture said the two DP3 and ultra-deepwater-capable units, West Aquila and West Libra, represent some of the world's most sophisticated high-end offshore drilling units.

The 68,000-gt DMSE pair were ordered in July 2013 for KRW 1.25