Eurotankers, a Greek shipping firm that has been expanding recently after a string of lucrative sales, has surfaced as the buyer of a modern aframax auctioned late last month in Gibraltar.
TradeWinds already reported that Greek buyers were believed to be behind the $75.05m winning bid for the 112,800-dwt Aurviken (built 2019).
The S&P Global Markets database now confirms this, featuring the scrubber-fitted vessel under its new name of Aldebaran with Castellina Tankers Co SA as its new registered owner.
The Liberia-based entity is listed as a subsidiary of Eurotankers.
Managers at Piraeus-based Eurotankers and officials in Gibraltar did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
A purchase of the Aurviken by Eurotankers would be in line with another expansion move made by the Gotsis family outfit recently, after a string of successful sales.
Between May 2022 and May 2023, the company offloaded to Middle Eastern buyers three suezmaxes and one aframax built between 2003 and 2005 for estimated total gross proceeds of about $115m.
In December 2023, however, the company started growing again with younger tonnage.
As TradeWinds reported at that time, Eurotankers acquired from Greek peer Chandris (Hellas) the 158,600-dwt Serenea (renamed Siren, built 2009) for $45m or $46m.
The Aurviken now becomes the youngest ship by far in Eurotankers’ fleet of four VLCCs, two suezmaxes, two aframaxes and one MR product carrier.
The Gotsis family firm also manages three handysize bulkers.
The Aurviken was auctioned because the joint venture that used to own the ship had JSC State Transport Leasing Co — better known as GTLK — as one of its ultimate shareholders.
The Russian financier’s indirect involvement disrupted the vessel’s trading in August 2022, as part of US sanctions against Moscow.
The ship had been slated for sale since, laid up in Gibraltar and awaiting auction paperwork and permits to be completed.
Greek buyers have been keen to lay their hands on modern, Viken Shipping-managed tonnage in other, more straightforward secondhand deals as well recently.
As TradeWinds reported in January, US-listed Tsakos Energy Navigation acquired five vessels from the Bergen-based company.
