MUR Shipping has completed its first vessel purchase in years. Brokers note that the shy bulker mammoth has added its sixth ultramax to its fleet.
The company has purchased the African Loon, a ship it has managed for years, from Shoei Kisen for just under $22m.
, a ship it has managed for years, from Shoei Kisen for just under $22m.The Robert Muirhead-led outfit’s fleet is growing fast. Its site says it has 41 owned vessels, mostly Japanese-built, ranging in size from 27,000 to 66,000 dwt, and close to 20 vessels on long-term charter.
Instead of adding secondhand tonnage, the pure breed bulker player has focused on ordering ships in recent years, taking delivery of 20 ships between 2012 and 2015.
The handy expert is also listed having a handful for ships in a joint venture with JP Morgan Global Maritime.
MUR is the shipping division of Amsterdam-headquartered Macsteel International, the steel trading division of the Macsteel Group, a major international steel and raw materials trading company. Over the past 20 years, MUR has grown from shipping 1m tonnes of cargo a year in 1995 to more than 45m tonnes today.
