Three more tankers have been sold for demolitions amid even as prices on offer for scrapping in Pakistan reportedly slipped this week.
The latest deals include two VLCCs.
Brokers reported that Sentek Marine & Trading has sold its 301,000-dwt tanker Concord M (built 1996) has been sold for demolition at a price of $448 per ldt, or $18.6m.
The ship is reportedly heading to Bangladesh.
Sentek bought the ship from Korea Ship Finance for just $16.5m in January of last year.
The company, which Clarksons ties to a fleet of 25 tankers, could not be immediately reached after business hours at its Singapore headquarters.
Thailand's Nathalin has reportedly has sold the 291,000-dwt tanker Amity Star (built 1993). The ship, which has been operating as an FSO under Nathalin's Prima Marine subsidiary, has gone for $415 per ldt, or $16.2m, brokers reported.
The sale leaves the Bangkok company with 26 tankers and four newbuildings, according to Clarksons.
The VLCC deals come as demolition prices have remained stable this week, though shipbroker Intermodal said slipping offer prices in Pakistan have been the exception.
"Saying this, we still don’t have concluded deals that will confirm the new lower benchmark in the country and we wouldn’t even be surprised if the next vessel ending up sold in Pakistan would be bought at a premium over average local prices given the steady numbers offered by both Indian and Bangladeshi cash buyers," the outfit said in its weekly report.
VLCC tally rising
Some 27 VLCCs have been sold for demolition in 2018, up from just two by this time last year.
Further down the size spectrum, Shipping Corp of India (SCI), the diversified Mumbai owner of 66 ships, has sold its 147,000-dwt tanker Guru Gobind Singh (built 1995), brokers said.
The ship is said to have been sold "as is" Colombo for $423 per ldt, or $9.3m. The deal includes 700 tonnes of bunkers.
As TradeWinds has reported, Nordic American Tankers' recent sales of five vessels are also believed to be demolition deals.
