Trafigura is reportedly leading a pack of traders that are bargain-hunting for modern or newbuilding VLCCs and suezmaxes in the period charter market.

With still-low rates and rising bunker costs, charterers have especially been showing stronger appetite for scrubber-fitted tonnage this year.

Brokers said Trafigura took two of the four 300,000-dwt newbuildings Latsco Shipping ordered from Hyundai Heavy Industries on charters lasting from two to five years.