While some have pointed to Oslo’s over-the-counter (OTC) market, a source there identified Atlas as working with US-based investment bank Global Hunter Securities (GHS) on a private deal.

Attempts to reach Atlas and a GHS official were not successful at TradeWinds’s press time.

However, a person familiar with the efforts says they are in early days with no deal imminent.

Atlas has five aframaxes and one VLCC in its existing fleet.