Saudi shipping firm Bahri has ordered three locally built oil supertankers worth SR1.7 billion ($451 million), expanding its domestic shipbuilding investments as regional conflict disrupts maritime trade.
The latest contract with International Maritime Industries covers three very large crude carriers, scheduled for delivery between 2029 and 2030. It follows an earlier order for six bulk carriers worth SR762 million.
Why now: Attacks on shipping routes, rising insurance premiums and freight volatility have put the region's maritime logistics under pressure.
Bahri's latest investment highlights Saudi Arabia's longer-term push to develop domestic shipbuilding capacity and reduce dependence on overseas yards.
The bigger picture: Bahri owns 20% of International Maritime Industries, making it both a customer and a shareholder in the shipyard.
Its combined orders now total nearly SR2.5 billion, supporting a domestic industry that Saudi Arabia wants to develop into a major maritime manufacturing hub.
Why it matters: The new vessels won't arrive until 2029ā2030, so they won't ease today's shipping disruptions.
But the investment signals a longer-term effort to strengthen Saudi Arabia's maritime industrial base as geopolitical tensions expose the risks.
