Glencore's shipping arm has sold two of its MR product/chemical tankers, according to brokers.
An unidentified buyer has reportedly picked up the 50,000-dwt Alpine Mary and Alpine Maria (both built 2014) for $27m each from Singapore-based ST Shipping.
Brokers initially named the buyer as Oceangold Tankers of Greece, but Goldenport Holdings' chief executive John Dragnis told TradeWinds this was not the case.
The Alpine Mary and Alpine Maria are due to undergo their five-year special surveys this October and August respectively.
The Korea-built tankers have epoxy-lined cargo tanks, allowing them to cross-trade in chemical markets.
Seller's market
Baltic Exchange sale-and-purchase assessments show that ST Shipping has sold its vessels in a rising market.
The value of a five-year-old MR tanker has appreciated by more than $6m over the past two years and by $3m over the past 12 months, according to the data.
The value of the Baltic's benchmark MR — a five-year-old, 51,000-dwt tanker built at a "first-class" yard — was assessed at $27.7m on 18 March, compared with $21.3m and $24.7m at the same point in 2017 and 2018 respectively.
TradeWinds has contacted ST Shipping for confirmation of the transaction.
