BP’s dramatic pruning of its older ships continues apace with brokers reporting an en bloc deal for eight aframaxes. Subject to financing, the UK’s Union Maritime is tipped as the buyer of the British Gannet, British Mallard, British Cormorant, British Cygnet, British Robin, British Eagle, British Kestrel and British Falcon. The ships – all built in 2005 and 2006 – have fetched an en bloc price of $108m, according to broking sources.
BP Shipping has been dramatically slimming down its fleet in the past 12 months, with all ships over the age of 12 targeted for offloading.
While Union Maritime’s fleet is still heavily weighted towards tankers it has been building up a dry bulk base. The CEO of the London-based company is Laurent Cadji, a Moroccan ex-Morgan Stanley trader and Splash understands the company is owned by Nigerian-Indian interests.
