Despite the slow summer season, ship owners appear to be rather keen in acquiring some modern second hand tonnage at "knock-down" prices. According to the latest weekly report from shipbroker Golden Destiny, a total of 25 vessels were reportedly traded, with a total invested capital to be in the region of US$ 521.1 mil, 5 deals reported at an undisclosed sale price. Bulkcarriers and Tankers remain the sectors that hold the lion’s share, while the deals in the tanker sector represent 50% of the total invested capital due to the sale of two product tankers that are being constructed under Jones Act while the deal includes also a profit sharing agreement between the yard and the owner. In terms of the reported number of transactions, the S&P activity is up by 8% from last week’s activity and 38.8% up from previous year’s weekly S&P activity, when 18 vessels induced buyers’ interest at a total invested capital of about $139 million.
In a separate report, Lion Shipbrokers reported that on the dry bulk market, "prompt supramax resale ROSANNA D (58K DELY OCT 2012 EX DAYANG/CHINA CR 4X35T) was sold for $22 mill to undisclosed interests. Clients of Laskaridis of Greece are behind the en-bloc sale of two 58K SUPRAMAX SISTERS (HULL 196 & 197) ex Zhejiang Shipyard in China for $45 mill, both slated for delivery 4th quarter of this year. In a sale organised by London Underwriters, damaged supramax AKIBA (57K BLT 2011 STX/S. KOREA CR 4X35T LDT 10621) was snapped by clients of Asian Marine of Singapore for $7.5 mill basis as-is/where-is Singapore with bottom damage, having being inspected by 30 buyers. Japanese controlled handymax OCEAN BRIDGE (46K BLT 1998 TSUNEISHI/JAPAN CT 4X25T) was acquired by clients of Sicuro of Greece for $9 mill basis ss/dd due January 2013. Greek buyers have also purchased handymax LJUBLJANA (43K BLT 1997 IHI/JAPAN CR 4X30T) for $8.6-$8.7 mill basis special & dry-docking surveys freshly passed. Greek buyers have agreed to pay $8.5 mill for three generator handy logger BERING ID (28K BLT 1997/JAPAN CR 4X30T)" said the shipbroker.
On the container/mpp front, "we had another slow week with just a few sales to report; Geared feeder KOTA MEGAH (28K BLT 1997 DAEWOO/S. KOREA 2105 TEUS CR 4X40T) was committed to Greek buyers for $6.5 mill while Turkish buyers have paid $875,000 for multipurpose unit MAREIKE (7K BLT 1996/GER CR 2X40T, LDT 2889), having currently a Turkey scrap value of about $1 mill. In the Tanker segment, clients of Tanker Pacific of Singapore have committed Japanese controlled aframax BM MIMOSA (105K BLT 2007 SUMITOMO/JAPAN) for $25 mill basis 2 years bbhp. Aframax resale HOPE I (104K DELY JAN 2012 EX SUMITOMO/JAPAN) was purchased by clients of NGM Energy for $36 mill. Five year old MR FREJA SELANDIA (53K BLT 2007 SHIN KURUSHIMA/JAPAN) went to far Eastern buyers for $21.5 mill basis 5 years bbhp, having being inspected by 8 parties (a mix of Greeks and Far Eastern buyers). Japanese controlled stainless steel unit GOLDEN JANE (16.5K BLT 2000/JAPAN) was purchased by Indonesian buyers for $9.1 mill. Zinc coated & stainless steel cargo tanks chemical unit BATTERY PARK (15K BLT 1991 KURINURA/JAPAN LDT 4252) went to Nigerian buyers for $2.9 million" Lion Shipbroker concluded.
Meanwhile, according to Golden Destiny, in the demolition market, “the week ended with just 8 vessels reported to have been headed to the scrap yards of total deadweight 733,279 tons. In terms of the reported number of transactions, the demolition activity is down by 56% from previous week’s business with all sectors and markets presenting lower activity, with India being the most active player. In terms of deadweight scrapped the weekly difference is just 8.9% down this week, because half of the vessels sold were above 100,000dwt.
At a similar week in 2011, demolition activity was 27.7% higher than today’s levels, in terms of the reported number of transactions, when 18 vessels had been reported for scrap of total deadweight 740,966 tons with bulk carriers representing the 83.3% of vessels heading the scrapyards with scrap prices as reported also in our previous report to be at stronger levels with India and Bangladesh offering $495-$500/ldt for dry and $520-$525/ldt for wet cargo” Golden Destiny said.
Lion also noted that in the demolition sector, “this week's subcontinent's market is still bullish, as prices are driven by expectation. Rates are currently ranging between $410-$430 for bulkers, $430-$450 for tankers & $430-$450 for container vessels. China is weak paying $300-$310 while Turkey is bullish paying $310-$330 for bulkers, $330-$340 for containers & tankers.