<article><p class="lead">Saudi Arabia's state-owned shipping firm Bahri was busy in the spot market for very large crude carriers (VLCCs) today, a rare foray by the owner and operator of the world's largest VLCC fleet.</p><p>This could be related to Saudi Arabia's plans to ramp up its crude supply in April. Bahri put as many as six VLCCs on subjects for Mideast Gulf-US Gulf voyages today, all with late-March loading dates. </p><p>That would equate to around 12mn bl of Saudi crude departing for the US Gulf in just under 10 days. By comparison, the US received a monthly average of 6.7mn bl from Saudi Arabia in the 12 months to 1 March this year, according to oil analytics firm Vortexa. Even this has slowed recently, to an averaged of just under 4.5mn bl in the first three months of this year.</p><p>Bahri is rarely seen in the spot VLCC tanker market. Its own fleet includes 42 of the 2mn bl tankers. Bahri may have booked a seventh VLCC for a shorter voyage to the Red Sea today, and may have been seeking a Suezmax to go to India.</p><p class="bylines">By Simon Ferrie</p></article>
