Russia's Sovcomflot (SCF Group) has lined up $252m of financing for its new LNG-powered aframaxes, meaning its orderbook is now fully covered.

The seven-year credit facility has been agreed with a consortium of six leading international banks: ABN Amro, BNP Paribas, Citibank, ING, KfW IPEX-Bank and Societe Generale.

The series of six 114,000-dwt tankers constitutes the first ever such vessels to be fuelled by LNG.