Azerbaijani state energy company Socar is said to be spending $120m on a trio of large product carriers owned by Okeanis Eco Tankers (OET).

London and US-based brokers have reported Oslo-listed OET as selling the 114,300-dwt sisterships Nissos Therassia, Nissos Heraclea and Nissos Schinoussa (all built 2015) at $40m apiece.

Socar and OET were not available for comment.

Greek-controlled OET has never made a secret of its intention to offload the ships, in a move that would leave it as a pure-play owner of a younger fleet of eight VLCCs and six suezmaxes.