NewLead Holdings has announced that it has entered into a new time charter contract with a European manufacturer of bitumen for one of its five bitumen tanker vessels, the MT Ioli.
.The vessel was delivered to the new charterer on April 22, 2016 and is currently trading in North Europe. The contract is for six months, expiring at the end of October 2016.
NewLead’s bitumen fleet utilization for 2015 was 92.7%.
“The company is presently evaluating market opportunities in the bitumen market to proceed with additional acquisitions in the sector to become a leading bitumen marine transportation company. More precisely, the Company is already in advanced negotiations to acquire two additional bitumen tanker vessels that include a long term charter to a leading asphalt products trading company,” said Michael Zolotas, chairman and chief executive officer of NewLead.
