Probably true Joseph.
I sailed as a guarantee electrician on a new VLCC out of Japan in 1974, Up to the Persian Gulf, loaded 255,000 tones of Iraqi crude for France (round the Cape) too big for Suez. The cargo changed hands 3 times on the way. Back around to the gulf where I left and returned to Japan.
She cost $30 million dollars to build and paid for herself before reaching France for the first time