Russian tanker giant Sovcomflot (SCF Group) has continued its clear out of elderly ships.

Following the sale of two suezmaxes and an aframax in the last month, the company has now turned to the MR product tanker segment.

It has sold two 17-year-old units built at Hyundai Mipo Dockyard, according to brokers.

The 47,000-dwt Anichov Bridge and Hermitage Bridge (both built 2003) have been reportedly sold to an undisclosed buyer for prices of $10m to $10.5m.

The ships are worth about $11.4m each, according to VesselsValue.

The prices are higher than the $7m that US-based Apollo Fund has reportedly received for the 46,000-dwt Port Union (built 2003).

Both the Port Union and the Russian tankers have their next special survey in 2023.

The difference in price is likely down to the latter being clean trading tankers, while the Port Union has been carrying crude.

The Sovcomflot vessels were reportedly ordered by the company for $29m each in December 2002.

A Sovcomflot executive declined to comment on the reported sales, or whether the company planned to dispose of more MR tankers.

The company has 24 such units that are trading with an average age of 10 years. In addition, Sovcomflot has three MR newbuildings on order at the domestic Zvezda Shipbuilding Complex.