Ireland-based tanker firm Ardmore Shipping has initiated a fleet renewal with the disposal of its oldest MR, while bringing in a younger counterpart.
The New York-listed player said it had agreed to offload the 2010-built 50,000 dwt Ardmore Seafarer for $27.1m. The Onomichi Dockyard-built unit was picked up for $16.7m in July 2020.
Meanwhile, the Anthony Gurnee-led owner said it has acquired a 2017 Japanese-built MR product carrier for $42m. Brokers had earlier reported the company paying the same price to Japanese owner Meiji for the nearly seven-year-old, albeit Hyundai Mipo-built St Pauli.
Ardmore had 26 tankers in operation at the end of 2023, consisting of 20 MRs up to 50,000 dwt and six product/chemical carriers up to 37,800 dwt. The company recently chartered out one of its chartered-in MRs for the remainder of its charter-in period at a $2.7m premium over its charter-in rate.
For the year ended December 31, 2023, Ardmore logged a profit of $113.4m, compared to $135.1m at the end of 2022.
