Focus this month in the tanker market is on upcoming sales of modern tonnage as sales candidates are rare and the ships can be sold at elevated prices. Clarksons notes its secondhand tanker price index is up 77% since the start of last year to stand at the highest level since 2008. Details from an expected sale by active account Union Maritime have emerged. The UK-based outfit has let go of the two-year-old 113,000 dwt Stirling, a Cosco Zhoushan-built ship after weeks in the shopping window. Brokers note this was sold for some $72m in line with owner’s expectations. The last reported modern sale in the segment was a purchase by Libya’s General National Maritime Transport , who had to table $79m for the 112,000 dwt Calypso, a Sumitomo-built ship. Older ships are selling quickly, with aframaxes being the most sold vessel size. Sales registers note just under 10 sales in April, mostly ships aged 15 or so. The most reported sale is by the Vafias clan, selling two 2009-built, 113,000 dwt sister ships, Gstaad Grace and Afragold. The New Times-built ships are noted sold for $42m and $41m respectively to Chinese buyers. googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1_95_0_1_2'); }); TagsGreece United Kingdom