A little-known company controlled by Canadian-Pakistani oil trader Murtaza Lakhani has emerged as a serial buyer of tankers in deals worth somewhat more than $100m.

Singapore-based Mercantile & Maritime Trading Pte Ltd, part of Lakhani's Mercantile & Maritime Group (M&M), is new registered owner of two VLCCs and a medium-range product tanker, according to the Equasis shipping database.

A representative of the trading company contacted by TradeWinds confirmed that the information is accurate.