Ciner Shipping Industry & Trading has made good on a pledge to order a series of suezmax tankers after tying up long-term charters with Koch Shipping.

The Turkish shipowner has put pen to paper on an order for four 158,000-dwt vessels to be built at Hyundai Heavy Industries in a deal estimated to be worth $254m.

Ciner chief executive Vasileios Papakalodoukas said the vessels have been fixed on long-term charters to Koch Shipping, a Geneva arm of US trader Koch Industries with which his company is developing a strong relationship.