Evangelos Pistiolis-led Top Ships has closed a $92.5m sale-and-leaseback deal involving two suezmax newbuildings.

Nasdaq-listed Top inked the transaction with a major Chinese lessor in what marks one of the final stages in the funding of its newbuilding orderbook.

Pistiolis, chief executive of Top Ships, said in a statement: “Our Suezmax vessels, which account for the largest portion of our newbuilding capital expenditure, are now fully funded.”