For the last couple of weeks, industry watchers have been waiting to see what the 2013-built C. Passion
VLCC would fetch. The seller, SK Shipping, first received several bids at around $63m, not enough to let the 314,00 dwt vessel go . Now brokers report the vessel sold for $66m, with some brokers linking compatriot Korean owner Sinokor to the deal, which has set a new benchmark price for VLCCs.
By comparison, in February, Sinokor added another Hyundai Heavy-built vessel, the 12-year-old, 298,000 dwt Athenian Success from Greek owner Athenian Carriers. This ship fetched $42.5m basis a prompt charter-free delivery.
Since January, values for VLCCs in the 15-year-old age segment, have risen by approximately 50%, according to Gibsons.
So far this year, there have 84 secon hand VLCC sales recorded by VesselsValue, and the majority of those sales were for older tonnage with an average age of 14 years.
