Japan’s Nisshin Shipping has sold its second modern LR1 tanker in the space of a couple of months.

Multiple brokers report that the four-year-old Panamax-sized tanker Nord Lavender has been sold for just under $32m with commodity trader Trafigura tipped as the buyer. Trafigura also took over a sister vessel named Nord Larkspur in April for $30m.

Few tanker sales have been registered in the LR1 segment this year. VesselsValue list 12 sales, mostly vintage candidates, built around the millennium and all older than 11 years of age.