Mjolner Shipping has netted a profitable rate by reletting an aframax tanker that it chartered from John Fredriksen’s Seatankers Management.
Last month, the US tanker operator took the 109,000-dwt Sea Bay and Sea Hope (both built 2009) on charter for for two years at $28,000 per day, brokers said.
Mjolner is now understood to have chartered the Sea Bay out to commodity trading giant Mercuria for a year at $42,500 per day.
The rate is surprisingly strong after the spot market for aframax tankers dropped from $45,000 per day to $35,000 per day in the last month.
Seatankers, Fredriksen's private shipowning company, fixed the sistership Sea Hope for two year to Mjolner at $28,000 per day.
Seatankers, Mjolner and Mercuria did not immediately respond to request for comments on reports of the charter.
Robert Lyons-led Mjolner has been active in the aframax market.
The company also recently the 114,000-dwt Sea Panther (built 2018) for two years, with an option for four more months, from Pantheon Tankers of Greece. The rate is understood to be between $28,500 per day to $29,000 per day.
There are conflicting reports about another aframax period tanker charter this week.
Some brokers said ExxonMobil has fixed the 111,000-dwt King Phillipos (built 2012) from the Latsis group's Latsco Shipping.
The US oil major is said to have locked in the ship for three years at $26,000 per day.
However, other sources claimed the that BP fixed the tanker for one year at $40,000 per day.
