Trafigura said to have acquired Evalend’s VLCC pair in US$250M deal

Greek shipbrokers reported this week that Kriton Lendoudis-led Evalend Shipping sold 2021-built VLCCs Hunter and Serendipity for a combined price of US$250M, with Trafigura named as the buyer.

Trafigura declined to comment when contacted by Riviera.

The two VLCCs were originally ordered at South Korea’s HD Hyundai, with Evalend positioned to secure a significant asset play if the deal is formally confirmed.

For Trafigura, VLCC acquisitions have been a key focus over the past year. Riviera reported in late 2025 that the company had expanded its VLCC orderbook to double-digit figures with a new contract at China’s Jiangsu New Hantong. The company has also been linked to acquisitions of modern VLCCs on the secondhand market.

VLCC deal bonanza

“The tanker S&P market for the period covering the last week of December and the first two weeks of January was completely overshadowed by a remarkable surge in VLCC swaps,” Allied Shipbroking said in its latest weekly report.

The analysts added that while demand is currently highest for modern and mid-aged vessels, over time it is likely to extend across all age categories. 

Heightened activity has pushed VLCC values up by 1–5% over the past month, according to Allied Shipbroking data.

“This is a market that has decisively shifted towards sellers, where VLCC values are increasingly influenced by long-term earnings expectations and fleet renewal pressures rather than short-term market cycles,” the brokerage firm explained.