A former Sovcomflot-linked aframax has reportedly been sold for demolition in a rare departure from the tanker fleet.
Ship recycling brokers report that the 106,500-dwt Serano II (built 1999) has been bought by cash buyers in Bangladesh for an undisclosed sum.
Clarksons is quoting scrap prices of $520 per ldt for tanker tonnage, meaning the unnamed owner of the vessel could be achieving almost $8.5m from the sale.
Tanker recycling remains modest, with just 500,000 dwt sold so far in 2024, comprising one VLCC and a suezmax, both connected to the shadow fleet.
The Serano II was reportedly sold as the Colossus in December for an undisclosed sum, according to VesselsValue.
Before that, it was sold in February 2020 as Adratis and again in September 2021 as Xenia S, the data provider said.
The ship, which is said to be managed out of India, was detained last year in Singapore after failing a port state control inspection, according to the Tokyo MoU.
Inspectors found 11 deficiencies, with five sufficient enough to warrant detention. Most of these related to fire safety, vessel maintenance and ISM Code shortcomings.
The vessel, which is flagged in the Cook Islands and has been associated with the dark fleet, was inspected seven months later in Singapore but was largely given a clean bill of health.
The ship’s International Maritime Organization identification number, 9165542, is the same as that for the former Sovcomflot aframax Moscow River (built 1999), according to Tokyo MoU data.
Meanwhile, India’s surprise election results last week, in which the parliamentary majority of the Bharatiya Janata Party and its allies shrank, has created a degree of economic uncertainty, according to Clarksons.
Cash buyer Wirana said that as a result, India could see a tighter budget with a reduced deficit, which could mean lower spending on infrastructure projects and more allocation on social benefits.
“The budget will be eagerly awaited to be able to gauge the impact on markets,” Wirana said in its weekly market report.
