Ship Owners Splurge The Money for Newbuildings

Ship owners have been quite active in the newbuilding and S&P markets this past week. In its latest weekly report, shipbroker Allied Shipbroking said that “a substantial number of newbuilding orders have come to light over the past week, with bulk carrier orders at the fore, with 11 orders across the Handysize, Panamax and Capesize size segments. Chinese yards continue to lead the number bulker contracts, holding in excess of 75% of the number of vessels contracted this year, although dry bulk contracting over all remains below the pace of 2022, with a little over 300 vessels ordered to date this year. Winning’s order takes the number methanol DF/ ready bulkers ordered this year and the vessels are set to join their fleet in the bauxite trade. In the tanker sector, contracting activity remains high relative to last year, the combined number of crude and product tankers having surpassed last year’s total around the middle of this year thanks to a rush of activity when 100+ tankers were ordered throughout June and July. August witnessed roughly half of the tankers order as the month before, and it remains to be seen whether September will return to such levels”.

In a separate note, shipbroker Banchero Costa added that there was “significant business in the dry newbuilding market. A huge deal of 12 + 6 325,000 dwt VLOC, backed by a 25 year COA to Vale is under discussion between Asian owners and several yards in China. Hong Kong based Owner Winning Shipping placed an order for 2 x 325,000 dwt VLOC at Qingdao Beihai; the vessels, to be delivered in 2027, will be dual-fuel methanol propelled and will be most likely employed in Africa-China iron ore trade. On smaller tonnage, Procopiu familiy’s controlled Sea Traders added 4 x 82,000 dwt Kamsarmax at Qingdao Yangfan at the price of $35 mln. Vessels will be delivered between June and December 2026.

In Japan, Saiki received an order for 2 x 40,000 dwt Handisize, while the Owner still remains undisclosed, the rumoured price is $32 mln apiece. In the gas sector, Hyundai signed contracts for the world’s first 4 x 88,000 cbm Very Large Ammonia Carriers with Capital Gas and Eastern Pacific. Ships are scheduled to be delivered by the second half of 2027. In the tanker sector, Sweden based Sirius Tankers booked 2 + 2 15,000 dwt chemical tankers from CMJL for delivery 2026. Singapore based Singfar International ordered 2 x 50,000 dwt MR2s from Chengxi (no price was confirmed so far), while, Navios placed an order to an undisclosed Japanese builder for 2 x MR2s with delivery 2026 and 2027 at $41.5 mln each – Basis ten-year BBHP arrangement”.

Meanwhile, in the S&P market, Allied said that “on the dry bulk side, the flow of fresh transactions was sustained at fairly modest levels for yet another week, with many already anticipating some sort of recovery in the near term. Notwithstanding this, snp activity can hardly avoid a much less productive 3rd quarter on year-on-year basis. In terms of current trends, we notice that Supramax sales have gained momentum in terms of past 4 week activity metrics. The Capesize segment on the other hand, despite its relative strong year-to-date performance in terms of volume, has somehow lost traction as of the past couple of weeks or so. On the tanker side, a strong shift in trend took place over the past week, with a decent number of units changing hands. However, thinking about the current view in spot earnings indicates that things will prevail more volatile in the near term”.

Banchero Costa added that there was “intense activity in the dry bulk market with sales across all different segments. Cosco Shipping kept disposing vintage Capes and last week was reported the sale of the TIAN BAO HAI 174,000 dwt built 2004 SWS at $13.5 mln. Two modern and eco Kamsarmax were rumoured sold: the ALAM KEKAL 82,000 dwt built 2018 Oshima at $31.8 mln and the WESTERN MONACO 81,000 dwt built 2016 Hantong for a level of region $26 mln. In comparison the Japanese controlled non eco PORT STAR 82,000 dwt built 2012 Tsuneishi Zhoushan is allegedly reported sold to Greek Buyers at $20.5 mln. The Ultramax/Supramax sector saw a few interesting and relevant sales too.

The NORD PACIFIC 61,000 dwt built 2018 Shin Kurushima was sold to Far Eastern Buyers at $27.15 mln whilst the SANTA VIRGINIA 61,000 dwt built 2014 Imabari was reported to Greek Buyers for a price of $23.5 mln. In comparison an eco Supramax, the KOBE STAR 56,000 dwt built 2016 Oshima (OHBS design), was sold for high $22 mln. We have recorded 2 large Supramax changing hands, the ISABELITA 58,000 dwt built 2010 Tsuneishi Zhoushan at $15.2 mln and the BULK PATAGONIA 58,000 dwt built 2012 Kawasaki at $19.5 mln. In the tanker sector most of the activity was for Handy tankers with the sale of the WONDER FORMOSA 37,000 dwt built 2006 Hyundai Mipo (ice class 1A) to Turkish Buyers at $18 mln, the sister ADVANTAGE PARTY 37,000 dwt built 2006 Hyundai Mipo (ice class 1A) went to Turkish Buyers at $17.3 mln and the BALTIC FREEDOM 37,000 dwt built 2006 Hyundai Mipo (ice class 1A) to undisclosed Buyers at $18 mln”, the shipbroker concluded.
Nikos Roussanoglou, Hellenic Shipping News Worldwide