Rongda adds Lomar supramax
Little known Chinese owner Rongda Shipping has reached out to European owner Lomar Shipping, grabbing a 15-year-old supramax bulker from the predominantly containership focused owner, broking sources tell Splash.
Rongda paid around $9.35m for the Oshima-built 53,000 dwt Ocean Prefect (built 2003).
A string of elderly bulkers have been sold to Chinense owners in the last couple of months, and price levels for older tonnage have been firm as an expected important regulation change from Beijing whereby the current 18-year-old maximum rule will be reduced to just 15 years in age, is expected. The sale makes sense for the seller as the company is moving forward with its fleet renewal plans.
After the sale, in the bulker segment Lomar Shipping is left with one 2002-built supramax, three 2015-built ultamaxes and three other ultramaxes under construction due to hit the water this year.