Spot oriented suezmax tanker owner Nordic American Tankers (NAT) has locked two of its vessels into six months charters with Petco, European tanker brokers say.
The United Arab Emirates-based company is paying $55,000 per day for the 150,000-dwt Nordic Castor (built 2004) and the Nordic Pollux (built 2003) with delivery in Singapore.
New York-listed NAT has a fleet of 23 suezmax tankers and states on its website that all its vessels are employed in the spot market.
In May last year NAT struck a deal with Equinor of Norway to lease out the 158,000-dwt Nordic Zenith (built 2011) to the Norwegian oil company for 12 to 15 months at an undisclosed rate.
Active business
There is now a flurry of timecharter activity involving suezmax tankers and trader Vitol has taken two units from two different Greek owners.
The 158,000-dwt Sea Amber (built 2016) has been taken from Pantheon Tankers for six months at $45,000 per day with an option for six more months at $35,000 per month.
Vitol has also fixed the 157,000-dwt Almi Explorer (built 2013)from Almi Tankers for one year at $45,000 per day.
