Shipowners Advantage Tankers, AET and International Seaways have signed up to profit-sharing deals at effectively break-even charter rates with energy major Shell on 10 LNG-fuelled VLCC newbuildings.

Sources following the newbuildings — on which contracts were inked with shipbuilder Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering and the three owners last week — said Shell is paying a rate of $31,000 per day on the 300,000-dwt ships, which are chartered to the major for periods of seven years.