We’re still trying to wrap our heads around this one, but it seems like anything is possible in the age of online shopping. Especially for online marketplace Taobao, the Chinese equivalent of Amazon — except here everything’s way cheaper, and it’s much more likely to contain all sorts of ridiculous stuff, ranging from cosplay props (built from scratch, mind you) to “delicious” earrings. And oh, we don’t know, maybe a friggin’ crude oil tanker?
We’re not pulling your leg, son.
An oil tanker by the name of Varada Blessing – owned by Singaporean freight company Varada One – has just been auctioned off by the Guangzhou Maritime Court on Taobao for ￥81 million (approximately S$16 million). In a report by Chinese news outlet Xinhua, the tanker was sold to Natalia Shipping following 19 offers made by six bidders. Constructed in 1993, the ship changed ownership multiple times over the years, sailing under various names. Most recently, the vessel was berthed in the Pearl River estuary after an “admiralty dispute,” reports Ecns.cn.
The tanker’s not the only example. Over 120 courts in Guangdong are registered on Taobao’s judicial sales platform, and according to SCMP, the online shopping site has become a popular platform to auction off toxic assets. Want this seized factory for your own shady deeds? Taobao’s got you covered.
By the way, the auction was only successful on its third try. Guangzhou Maritime Court had put up the tanker for auction twice before, but pulled out as the required amount wasn’t met.
As they say, third time’s the charm.
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