An elderly VLCC has been sold for the third time since it was offloaded by Greece’s Angelicoussis Group late in 2021.
The ownership of the 306,100-dwt VLCC Takma (built 2003) has been further clouded by the latest deal reported by brokers.
The Liberia-flag ship is now known as the Sprite after its transfer from one unknown owner to another for an undisclosed price.
VesselsValue lists the single-ship-owning company as Marinerminds Maritime of Antigua & Barbuda.
The tanker is now worth $36.3m, up from $28.5m two years ago.
The flag has been switched from Greece to Liberia to Cyprus and back to Liberia in the last two years.
Back in November 2021, TradeWinds reported the vessel, then named the Maran Corona, was sold to undisclosed buyers for about $28.5m.
Greek interests were said to be behind the deal.
The VLCC, now known as the Coron, was then flipped in January 2022 to Rotimo Holdings of Cyprus, according to VesselsValue.
No price was given and Rotimo is not listed as having owned other vessels.
Asset prices jumped
Since then after Russia invaded Ukraine, demand for these older tankers has soared, as well as asset values, due to the need to ship Iranian, Venezuelan and Russian oil.
Rotimo is then said to have sold it on to undisclosed interests in May 2023 as the Sao Paolo, with the new owner renaming it the Takma.
AIS data showed the ship underway in ballast off Greece on Monday morning, heading for Kalamata.
The VLCC’s last port state control check took place in March 2023 in Kalamata.
Two deficiencies were found, but the vessel was not detained.
Faults related to fire dampers and the lights, shapes and sound signal.
