Pools giant Navig8 Group has a new partner in Greece for its eco MR tanker operation.
The company said Byzantine Maritime has placed its modern Hyundai Mipo-built 50,000-dwt Katherine Lady (built 2022) into the Eco MR Pool.
It was delivered to Navig8 management this month, bringing the number of tankers in that pool to 13, in addition to two older MRs in a separate pool.
Byzantine Maritime controls 20 ships, including bulkers and LPG carriers, as well as another MR built in 2011 and six LR2s.
Four handysizes are on order for delivery in 2024 from New Dayang Shipbuilding in China.
In February, Navig8 added another tanker controlled by Greece’s Roswell Navigation to its fleet.
The 159,400-dwt suezmax Raptor (built 2007) was bought by Roswell as the Ridgebury Nicholas A from Ridgebury Tankers in the US for $33.4m in October last year, with a special survey due.
It became the fifth ship in the Suez8 pool. There were also other four ships controlled by Ridgebury Tankers, but these are no longer listed in the pool.
DSD Shipping adds vessel
Athens-based Roswell also had its 47,500-dwt Sapsan (built 2005) operating in Navig8’s conventional MR pool and the 115,100-dwt Seliger (built 2009) in the V8 aframax pool, but they also no longer appear on the list on the company’s website.
Navig8 expanded its eco MR operation further in a deal with Norwegian owner DSD Shipping in January, taking over the commercial running of the 50,000-dwt Stavanger Pioneer (built 2019) and Stavanger Poseidon (built 2020) through its Eco MR Pool.
DSD has two other MRs in its fleet, plus two small clean tankers in a joint venture with Norway’s Meling & Co.
Last November, Navig8 said it was now managing all nine of Greek owner Latsco Shipping’s modern MR tankers.
The 49,900-dwt MR2 Hellas Margarita (built 2017) was the last to join the Eco MR Pool.
