UK-based Tufton Oceanic is being linked to two medium-range (MR) tankers from the fleet of Claus Petter Offen as it continues to grow its fleet.

The Hyundai Mipo Dockyard-built, 52,000-dwt CPO Japan (built 2010) and CPO Korea (built 2009) are committed for $36m enbloc, according to sources. It marks the first purchase for Tufton this year.

The company bought as many as 12 ships last year with mandates from European pension funds and only disposed of a single small bulker in 2016.

Tufton