Westport Tankers, set up in Piraeus about a year ago, is slowly but steadily expanding its footprint with its third aframax acquisition.
Brokers in London and the US are linking the Michael Tsangaris-led outfit to a $17.2m deal for the 115,600-dwt Taurus Sun (built 2007).
Managers at the Japanese-built ship’s current owner, Zodiac Maritime, declined to comment, citing company policy not to discuss commercial matters.
Westport managers did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Eventual confirmation of a deal would provide further proof of unabated buying interest in crude tankers, in the teeth of stubbornly disappointing freight rates.
“For some time now, we continue seeing an upward trend in appetite across the different size segments and age groups, suggesting a positive stance across many in the [tanker] market,” commented analysts at Athens-based Allied Research.
Such buying is in line with countercyclical investment strategies often displayed by traditional Greek shipowners, including the Tsangaris family.
Westport Tankers made its debut last summer with the acquisition of an LR2 from troubled Greek peer Eletson, the 106,100-dwt Makronissos (renamed Nikki, built 2002).
It is not certain if Westport is still in control of that vessel. In September, the Nikki was renamed Nikitis and has been managed since by a Panama-based company, Alpha Maritime Group.
Westport’s next move came in October, when it emerged as manager of the 105,200-dwt aframax Aspasia Lemos (renamed Argo, built 2009).
That vessel was purchased from another Greek peer, Leon Patitsas, whose Atlas Maritime is busy renewing its fleet with a string of aframax newbuildings.
A deal for the Taurus Sun would be unusual in the sense that countercyclical Greeks have been focusing on smaller tanker sizes lately, mostly MRs.
Sea Hawk Maritime, formerly a pure-play bulker company, bought Hafnia’s 40,000-dwt Hafnia Hope (built 2007) in early December for about $9.5m, as TradeWinds reported. Kourtesis family-led Sea Hawk is now thought to have swooped on sistership Hafnia Karava (built 2007) as well.
Unknown Greek buyers are suspected to be behind Yamamaru Kisen’s sale of the 46,000-dwt MR Prime Express (built 2010) for $16.2m. Some brokers tied that deal to Spring Marine Management and others to Laskaridis-led Lavinia Corp. Speaking to TradeWinds, however, managers at both companies denied having had anything to do with the deal.
In another all-Greek deal, Prime Marine Management has agreed to offload the 73,900-dwt Polar Cod (built 2007) to undisclosed buyers.
