The National Shipping Company of Saudi Arabia (Bahri) has taken delivery of Amjad, a 300,000 dwt very large crude carrier (VLCC), from South Korean shipbuilder Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI).

Amjad was handed over to Bahri at HHI’s Mokpo shipyard in South Jeolla Province, South Korea, on February 7, 2017.

With a gross tonnage of 160,000 tons, the newbuilding features a length of 330 meters and a width of 60 meters.

Amjad, which is now part of the firm’s multipurpose fleet of 84 vessels, will be operated by Bahri Oil, one of Bahri’s six business units.

The company’s 37th VLCC comes as Bahri aims to become the world’s largest owner and operator of VLCCs, as explained by Ibrahim Al-Omar, Bahri’s CEO.

Bahri said that nine more VLCCs are being built for the company by HHI.

“With nearly a third of Bahri’s current fleet built by HHI and nine more VLCCs being built, and a multi-billion-dollar maritime shipyard being planned in Saudi Arabia in the coming years, our relationship with Bahri is set for the long haul,” M. K. Yoon, President and CEO of Hyundai Heavy Industries, noted.

In June 2016, Bahri, HHI and Lamprell signed a joint development agreement (JDA) to establish a USD 5 billion maritime yard within the King Salman Global Maritime Industries Complex in Saudi Arabia.

Inaugurated in November 2016, the maritime yard is aimed at providing engineering, manufacturing and repair services for offshore rigs, commercial vessels and offshore service vessels and is expected to be fully operational by the end of 2022.

Image Courtesy: Bahri