Aegean Shipping Management has struck a long-term charter deal for one of its two aframaxes.
European brokers said the Greek shipowner has chartered out the 112,000-dwt Green Aura (built 2019) to trader Vitol for $16,000 per day.
The Chinese-built ship has been chartered for a year, plus an option for another 12 months.
Aegean and Vitol did not respond to requests for comment.
Last year, Aegean fixed out sistership Green Attitude (built 2019) to Trafigura, another major trading house, for up to two years for a stronger $25,000 per day.
The tankers were ordered at Cosco Zhoushan Shipyard in 2016 reportedly for $41.8m each.
In October, the Aegean signed up for two more aframax tankers at the Chinese yard. These two ships will not have scrubbers and will be delivered in 2022.
The company also has three South Korean-built MR tankers. In November, the Greek shipowner chartered one of them, the 50,000-dwt Green Planet (built 2014), for three years to d'Amico Societa di Navigazione at $14,750 per day, in a deal that included options to extend the deal.
In 2017, the George Melissanidis-led shipowner moved into dry bulk, ordering six kamsarmaxes at the same Chinese shipyard. They are reportedly costing $24m each. The first of them, the 80,000-dwt Green K Max 1 (built 2019) was delivered last year.
The deal for the Green Aura comes as Vitol has been active in the period market for aframaxes.
The trader has also reportedly the 115,000-dwt Antonis (built 2017) for nine to 11 months from NS Lemos-controlled Enesel. The rate is believed to be $17,500 per day.
