ATHENS: Euronav has purchased resale contracts for eight VLCC newbuildings from Greece’s Metrostar Management, according to shipbrokers’ reports. The ships are currently under construction at Hyundai Heavy Industries, South Korea.
Prices for the VLCC newbuildings are unconfirmed; some brokers put the sale at $97m per vessel and some a little less. This is roughly in line with the price of ordering a brand-new VLCC from the yard, brokers told Splash today.
The Euronext-listed owner has also been linked to the acquisition of up to 10 suezmax tankers from an unnamed seller but after many phone calls, Splash has as yet been unable to confirm these reports. The Wall Street Journal suggests that the 10 vessels are being acquired from Connecticut-based Principal Maritime Tankers for around $48m each.
Metrostar declined to comment on the mooted sale when contacted by Splash today. The Athens-based company currently has eight VLCCs being built at HHI, one of which will arrive this year and the rest in 2016 and 2017.
