According to brokers, the tanker division of Zodiac Maritime Agencies has picked up the 105,000dwt tanker Lion City River for US$20.5m. The seller is Singapore-based Kumiai Navigation, a wholly owned subsidiary of shipowner Kumiai Senpaku of Japan.

Experts note that the deal shows a significant reduction in prices compared to a recent sale of another nine-year-old ship, Isis, which went for US$4m more.

Chatter around a possible deal done by one of the more active shipping mammoths this year started last week.

The deal is the second deal in a short time for Eyal Ofer's Zodiac Maritime. Earlier this week, the container segment of the outfit was linked to a US$29m deal for two ships.