UK-based pools giant Navig8 Group has welcomed a new partner, Turkey’s Aktif Denizcilik.
The Istanbul owner’s 115,400-dwt aframax Fair Seas (built 2008) has joined the growing V8 pool, Navig8 said.
The STX-built ship was delivered to Navig8 this month, making it 15 ships in the aframax pool now.
The vessel is operated by Active Shipping & Management, based in Singapore and owned by Aktif.
The Turkish group has three other aframaxes of the same vintage, in addition to a 2017-built suezmax.
UK shipbroker Clarksons lists the Fair Seas as operating in the US-based Sigma Tankers pool previously.
Technical management is provided by Thome Ship Management.
In November, TradeWinds reported that Navig8 was back in expansion mode, ahead of expected recoveries in the clean products and crude markets.
It took in 14 tankers through a combination of third-party management and time-charter exposure with outside partners.
Big-name owners add more vessels
While Navig8 would not break down the specific terms, it is understood that the additions are heavily weighted towards product tankers, and that it has formed charter partnerships with the external investors.
Navig8 added eight LR2s, two LR1s, three aframaxes and one VLCC within a month, US-based commercial director Jason Klopfer acknowledged.
“We have experienced significant growth over recent weeks. Additions have come from pool commitments, commercial management agreements and support of outside partners sharing time-charter exposure with Navig8,” he said.
Libya’s GNMTC and Greece’s Chartworld were among those contributing ships, as well as Neda Maritime, International Seaways and Navios Maritime Partners.
Navig8, led by principals Nicolas Busch and Gary Brocklesby, controls or manages about 130 tankers overall.
