Tanker markets are buzzing with talk of a VLCC sale which would mark a further escalation of asset values.
Owners and brokers have been closely following NS United’s sale of the 299,999-dwt Aquarius Wing (built 2005), which attracted attention of a selection of respected names.
It follows positive data points from Ridgebury Tankers and Neda Maritime in the past week as both offloaded VLCCs to FPSO specialist Yinson for a combined $60m.
Now a Greek shipowner is believed to have stepped forward for the Aquarius Wing at a price some are placing at $34.5m to $35m.
“It’s a market-moving sale,” one senior broker said, stressing he had not yet received first-hand confirmation of the price or the buyer.
The tanker was understood to have attracted the attention of multiple established shipowners, including New Shipping, Embiricos and Zodiac Maritime.
However, today Transmed of Greece is being most strongly linked to the tanker.
Attempts to reach officials the company for comment on the matter were unsuccessful at the time of writing.
If Transmed has purchased the Aquarius Wing it would mark the firm’s first direct VLCC acquisition in over a decade.
The only VLCC sized vessel in the company’s fleet today is the 319,900-dwt Atherina (built 2011).
The ore-oiler, the largest vessel ever owned by the company, was the former F Whale, part of a series first contracted by Nobu Su.
Tanker asset values have been on an upward curve in the past few weeks, with Ghassan Ghandour’s capture of the 306,506-dwt Phoenix Vanguard (built 2007) in late June another notable transaction.
Ghandour’s Hermes Marine Management bought the tanker for $38.75m, which was described at the time as “very strong”.
As TradeWinds reported earlier this week, Yinson swooped for the Ridgebury and Neda VLCCs in deals which were understood to have gone through without the lengthy subjects typically associated with offshore deals.
