Trader Vitol is reported to be pursuing a string of MR product tankers in period charter deals.
Among the deals, European brokers said the company has locked in two 50,000-dwt newbuildings owned by Celsius Shipping of Denmark.
They said Vitol fixed the ships for three years at $15,500 per day for each.
That is above Fearnleys' assessment for a charter of this length, with the Oslo shipbroker estimating that a three-year MR tanker charter is worth $14,000 per day.
Celsius Shipping confirmed it had purchased two tankers from Yangzijiang Shipping in a resale deal, but the Jeppe Jensen-led company insisted that the tankers are set for delivery later this year and are not yet on charter.
But Vitol is linked to other deals in the MR period charter market.
The trader is reported to have taken the 49,000-dwt Valle Sole and Valle Luna (both built 2013) for a year at $14,250 per day.
TradeWinds reported recently that the two product tankers — formerly the Leopard Sun and Leopard Moon, respectively — had recently been purchased by Italy's Montanari Navigazione.
Vitol has also been linked to a deal for the 49,000-dwt Maersk Cancun (built 2018). Brokers said the charterer fixed the ship for two years at $15,750 per day, reletting it from Denmark's Maersk Tankers, which has the ship on charter from undisclosed Chinese interests.
The trader has also fixed the 49,000-dwt Manolates (built 2018). The tanker is a relet from Samos Steamship, which has it on charter. Samos did not respond to requests for comment.
Vitol declined to comment on the reported charters.
