Theshipowner says it recognizes that crude tanker secondhand values have recoveredsince the third quarter of last year.
TheTrygve Munthe and Svein Moxnes Harfjeld-led shipowner admits that the value ofa five-year-old VLCC is up 35% since August last year.
Butin many of the projects it has worked on, it says it has found sellers to haveprice expectations “far north of those levels”.
Theprivate equity-backed company said in a conference call that it has “not beenwilling to meet” those expectations.
“However,we think that this is about to change. We certainly see that there are moresales candidates coming on to the market, and we have the sense that prices arenarrowing in on the broker estimates.," Munthe told investors.
“So we are cautiously optimistic that we, duringthe not too distant future can find common ground with potential sellers and wecan continue to grow DHT.”
Thecompany was recently touted as a possible destination for Frontline 2012’stanker newbuildings in a move similar to its recent capesize deal withKnightsbridge Tankers.
Analystsat DNB Markets have suggested it could become the pure play tanker vehicle ofthe John Fredriksen-backed owner.
Theyexplain that DHT stands out as the most attractive tanker play given itstrading at around net asset value and low breakeven levels.
DHT Holdings also has six VLCCs on order atHyundai with deliveries now spread between November 2015 and October 2016.
