Diversified Greek shipowner Chandris has locked a suezmax tanker into a two-year time charter with Total of France.
TradeWinds sources said the 158,000-dwt Serenea (built 2009), which is undergoing scrubber installation in China, has been fixed at $29,000 per day.
Chandris appears to have secured a scrubber premium in the rate, which is strong relative to levels for non-scrubber fitted ships.
Neither Chandris nor Total responded to requests for comment.
Chandris is listed with a fleet of 34 ships, of which 12 are tankers and two are suezmaxes.
Samsung Heavy orders
The company ordered the Serenea and sistership Sestrea (built 2009) in 2006 at Samsung Heavy Industries for $80m each.
In another two-year suezmax deal, Koch Industries fixed the 157,000-dwt Dimitris P (built 2011) from Tsakos Energy Navigation (TEN) at $26,500 per day.
Koch also took a sistership from New York-listed TEN, the Spyros K (built 2011), for the same rate.
Soaring rates have fuelled activity in the suezmax period charter market.
European brokers said Occidental Petroleum has fixed the 158,000-dwt Cap Guillaume (built 2006) for a year. It is paying the Belgian owner $27,000 per day.
Oil trader Vitol has chartered the 156,000-dwt Leonid Loza (built 2011) from Sovcomflot subsidiary Novoship, also for a year at $25,000 per day.
