Shipowners George Economou, Idan Ofer and Oystein Stray Spetalen are being linked to a second VLCC buy, at a similarly strong price to that paid by the trio on their first shock purchase last week.

Tanker market sources said the partners — who are being alternatively referenced by brokers this week as "the three wise men", "the "triumvirate" and "the three egos" — have snapped up a 2019-built, scrubber-retrofitted VLCC owned by NS Lemos for a sizzling $107m.