Russian shipping major Sovcomflot (SCF) has bought a total of nine arctic-going oil tankers from the transporter of bulk liquid cargoes Primorsk International Shipping Ltd. (Prisco) through an auction procedure.

The nine vessels in question are the Aframax tanker Zaliv Amerika, the LR2 tankers Zaliv Vostok, Zaliv Baikal, Zaliv Amurskiy, and the MR2 tankers Prisco Ekaterina, Prisco Alexandra, Prisco Elena, Prisco Elizaveta and Prisco Irina, according to data provided by VesselsValue.

Ranging from 50,000dwt to 104,500dwt, the 2008- and 2009-built vessels were purchased for a total of approximately US$215m.

The double-hulled, ice-class tankers were constructed at South Korea's yards Hyundai Heavy Industries and STX Offshore & Shipbuilding Co. Ltd.

The vessels were auctioned off on June 30 in London after Primorsk International Shipping's restructuring efforts failed and the company was forced to sell its ships.

The sale is subject to final approval from Judge Martin Glenn, who is overseeing the bidding process and previously approved rules governing the auction.