Trafigura is lining up a vast order in South Korea that would propel the commodities giant back into tanker ownership, according to industry sources.

TradeWinds is told that Trafigura, a leading charterer, plans to order 22 tankers at Korea's Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) — eight suezmaxes and four aframaxes, plus 10 other tankers.

Sources suggest the suezmaxes are costing between $50.5m