Greek owner NGM Energy has locked two of its aframaxes into one-year charters as the tanker market is enjoying a seasonal upturn.
Litasco has fixed the 113,000-dwt Ace (built 2008) at $15,750 per day and Concord Maritime has chartered the 113,000-dwt Free Spirit (built 2008) at the same rate, European shipbrokers say.
Oslo-based broker Fearnleys says the one-year rate for an aframax is $15,500 per day, while spot rates for the ships have been climbing strongly in the fourth quarter.
Rates climbing
At the beginning of this week, aframax spot rates had reached $30,600 per day, well above the $11,900-per-day average in the year to date, according to Clarksons Platou Securities.
NGM Energy did not respond to requests for comments.
The company has a fleet of four aframaxes after the 105,000-dwt Lion M (built 1997) was sold for demolition last month.
For the past year, its 109,000-dwt tanker Kudos (built 2007) has been on time charter to ST Shipping at $15,000 per day.
In the VLCC segment, Sea Oriental Line of Singapore has fixed its 298,000-dwt Sea Horizon (built 2001) to ST Shipping at an undisclosed rate. In 2016, it was fixed for two years of storage to Glencore at $40,000 per day.
Sea Oriental Line bought the tanker from Euronav for $38.4m in 2016.
Clean activity
Clearlake Shipping has been active in the clean segment. It has fixed the 71,000-dwt Petali Lady (built 2004) for three to four months from Colonial Navigation at $13,000 per day, European brokers say.
Top Ships has secured a two-year charter with BP Shipping worth $10m for the 39,000-dwt Eco Revolution (built 2016).
Another MR tanker, the 50,000-dwt Northern Light (built 2006), has been fixed for a year by ExxonMobil. The ship, which is owned by Product Shipping & Trading of Greece, is set to earn $12,500 per day.
Koch Industries has taken the 50,000-dwt Pyxis Epsilon (built 2015) for six months from Pyxis Tankers of Greece for a rate that is understood to be $13,500 per day.
Another Pyxis vessel, the 50,000-dwt Pyxis Lamda (built 2017), has been taken on time charter by Trafigura, but the details are unclear.
