Weekly Broker: Resurgent dry bulk sees vessel inspections spike

The secondhand dry bulk carrier sale and purchase market remained firm for yet another week, with buyers focusing mostly on modern supramax and handysize vessels, while activities in the secondhand tanker market remain limited amid the sector’s continued recession. With capesizes beginning to surge in earnings, brokers are reporting plenty of vessel inspections going on and Weekly Broker is likely to have a deluge of concluded cape deals coming up.

“On the dry bulk side, we witnessed once again a fair bit of activity surfacing, though a large number of the units changing hands were part of the large enbloc deal secured by Star Bulk. The expectation now is for things to continue firming and there is an anticipation for a gearing up in interest to emerge for the larger capes, given the recent jump noted in the freight market. Overall, appetite amongst buyers seems to be re-emerging in high numbers and this could well help push for another round of price hikes in the near term,” Allied Shipbroking said in its latest weekly report.

Several shipbrokers have listed the sale of the 2006-built supramax bulker Luminous Halo to a Greek owner. VesselsValue has identified the buyer as Greek dry bulk shipping operator A.M.Nomikos, who acquired the vessel from Japanese owner Biko Kisen for $12.5m.

Both Optimas and Seasure Shipbroking reported a deal in which Greek owner White Sea Navigation has purchased the 2010-built supramax bulker Requiem from compatriot owner Kassian Maritime. The 58,000 dwt vessels has fetched a price of $12.1m. The latest acquisition will add the company’s fleet to five bulkers.

Intermodal and Advanced Shipping & Trading both reported a en bloc deal that Norwegian finance house Ness, Risan & Partners has taken over two 2010-built handysize bulkers Nordic Visby and Nordic Stockholm from German owner Nordic Hamburg Shipping for $9.3m each.

Additionally, Optimas listed the en bloc sale of two 2008-built supramax bulkers Blue Diamond and White Diamond. Chinese owner New Yangtze Navigation is said to have bought the two vessels from Dutch owner ASM Maritime for $19.4m in total. Splash reported the deal earlier in the week.

“On the tanker side, the slow trickle of deals coming through continues for yet another week, with the turmoil being noted both in the freight market and global crude oil markets still overshadowing the second hand market with a deep sense of investment uncertainty. The few buyers around seem to still hold appetite only for bargain deals of which a very select few emerge,” Allied Shipbroking said.

Allied Shipbroking reported that UAE-based Gulf Shipping Services has acquired for the 2009-built product/chemical tanker Chemtrans Elbe from German owner Chemikalien Seetransport for $10.3m. The vessel has been renamed Gulf Petroluem 4. The secondhand containership sale and purchase market has seen more activities this week following several weeks of weak performance.

Advanced Shipping & Trading reported a transaction in which Greek owner Technomar is said to have bought two boxships, the 2006-built 3,534 teu panamax vessel Philippa Schulte and the 2005-built 2,824 teu sub-panamax Rubina Schulte from German owner Thomas Schulte. The two vessels have been renamed Nikos P and Nasia respectively. The financial details of the deal was not disclosed.

Additionally, Advanced Shipping & Trading identified Norwegian owner Awilco as the buyer of the 2007-built 4,300 teu panamax boxship Ital Mattina. The vessel was sold for a price of $11.5m.