Norwegian Car Carriers will not be shifting its growth plans into neutral despite the Japanese tsunami causing havoc in the market.
CEO Lars Solbakken says the company is combing the newbuilding and second hand scenes for openings and will add to its fleet again within the next 12 months.
He said: “Our plan is to grow the company over time, but we of course have to time any acquisition.
“We are following the market very closely and you should expect over the next year we will probably buy more tonnage.”
Solbakken says the Japanese disaster in March had an immediate impact on the production of cars in Japan. But he believes the nation’s car plants will be back in full swing this autumn - a fact which could play out in NOCC’s favour.
South Korea's Hyundai Heavy Industries won a 6,500-ceu car carrier plus one option from Norwegian Car Carriers (NOCC) earlier this year.
The shipowner will pay NOK 385m ($69.04m) for each of the ships.
Meanwhile, the shipowner will meet the newbuild in August 2012 and have to exercise the option contract by June this year.