Dry CargoEurope

Zodiac and Rickmers swoop for CP Offen capes

Two shipping heavyweights have picked up capesizes from Claus-Peter Offen in bank driven sales at an opportune time in the markets with cape freight rates hitting four-year highs this week.

Eyal Ofer’s Zodiac Maritime, which has been inspecting many capes this year without tying down too many deals, is believed to have taken the 2011-built CPO Asia, for $26.5m, in a deal that includes a time charter through to the end of May set at $11,500 a day. Meanwhile, Rickmers is linked with the acquisition of the one year older CPO America, which has gone with a price tag of $24.5m.

With these two bank driven sales, the dry bulk fleet of Claus-Peter Offen has been halved and comes amidst a year of dramatic consolidation among the German merchant fleet.

Hans Thaulow

Hans Henrik Thaulow is an Oslo-based journalist who has been covering the shipping industry for the last 15 years. As well as some work for the Informa Group, Hans was the China correspondent for TradeWinds. He also contributes to Maritime CEO magazine. Hans’ shipping background extends to working as a shipbroker trainee with Simpson, Spence & Young in Hong Kong.
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