Influential shipowners Evangelos Marinakis and John Fredriksen have separately pencilled in a total of up to 10 VLCC newbuildings worth almost $1.3bn at the same Chinese shipbuilder but with different fuelling choices in a move that could prompt a rush to yards for large tanker tonnage.

Marinakis’ Capital Maritime & Trading and Fredriksen’s private Seatankers Management are said to have inked individual letters of intent with Dalian Shipbuilding Industry Co (DSIC) for multiple 300,000-dwt crude carrier newbuildings.