Greek shipowner George Economou has offloaded eight older aframax tankers in the past 12 months that have shifted to hauling Russian oil cargoes under their new ownership.

Informed sources confirmed the transactions, which only began to emerge in the wider market when the vessels started to deliver to their new owners and change names.

The sources said TMS Tankers — one of the largest owners of aframaxes in the world — sold the vessels to Hong Kong Chinese buyers.