Euronav NV have repaid US$235 million to finance the acquisition of 15 VLCC oil tankers from Maersk Tankers, Singapore. The VLCC oil tankers have an average age of four years and will be used to expand the large tanker fleet of Euronav. The new acquisitions will be operated in the Tankers International VLCC Pool, of which Euronav is a founding member.
As the new arrivals have been incorporated into the fleet, other vessels have been sold. The 315,981dwt Antarctica (2009) was one of two vessels which was purchased by a charterer in April 2014. Towards the end of 2014 she was handed over to her new owners, and it was confirmed she is set for conversion into a Floating, Production, Storage and Offloading vessel (FPSO).
There is a high demand for such vessels due to the current price of oil. Just over a year ago Euronav sold the 299,150dwt Luxembourg (1999) to a conversion buyer. RC
