Algeria’s Sonatrach Petroleum wants a third-party manager for its only VLCC.
The company is tendering for an experienced company to handle technical and crew management for the 315,802-dwt veteran crude tanker Mesdar (built 2007).
The shipowner is calling for “reputed” ship management companies to register expressions of interest by 15 June to its London-based operation.
Sonatrach said bidders must have at least 50 vessels under management and have their principal office in the UK or European Union.
And companies must have previous experience in handling VLCCs.
In September, brokers reported the Mesdar booked at $24,500 per day for a year by Abu Dhabi Ports.
The VLCC is worth $55m, according to VesselsValue, up from $36m a year ago.
Sonatrach, which has owned the Mesdar since delivery, is listed with a mixed fleet of 23 ships by UK shipbroker Clarksons.
These include a product tanker, two small bitumen units and LNG and LPG carriers.
Price doubled for scrapped LNG carrier
At the end of 2021, the company sold a 40-year-old LNG carrier originally reported scrapped in April of that year for almost double the previous price.
Brokers said the 126,130-cbm steam turbine Ramdane Abane (built 1981), which was controlled by Sonatrach’s shipowning arm, Hyproc Shipping, went to demolition buyers in Bangladesh for $670 per ldt, which equates to just over $20m on the ship.
Specialists said the 29,932-ldt vessel has 500 tonnes of aluminium content, which was priced at around $2,000 per tonne, and a high non-ferrous content that has boosted the price.
