Azerbaijan state oil company Socar has teamed up with domestic shipowner Azerbaijan Caspian Shipping Co (Asco) to buy three aframax tankers in a major move into this larger shipping sector for the companies.

The new joint-venture partnership SA Maritime AFEZCO has acquired the 113,838-dwt tankers Shusha (ex-Aristoklis, built 2017) and 114,516-dwt Karabakh (ex-Sperchios, built 2018) which are named after historic regions.