The attractiveness of modern second hand vessels, which are often priced aggressively can't be ignored by cash-rich ship owners, who are taking advantage of the investment opportunities which arise, in order to secure some good deals, even though they know they will have to wait before their newly acquired vessels bring their money back, due to currently unfavorable freight rates. According to the latest weekly report from shipbroker Clarkson Hellas, "it has been an extremely busy week in the dry sale and purchase market with a number of notable sales to report. We understand that HHI have now sold 7 x 84,000 dwt “kamsarmax” (note 235m LOA) resales originally contracted by clients of TMT. The first group of 4 ships (Hulls S543, S544, S545, S546 ‐completed November 2011 to January 2012) have reportedly been sold to a Greek interest for a price in the region of $24m each. Whilst the second group of 3 ships (Hulls S547, S548, S549 ‐ completed July 2012 to November 2012) have been sold to far eastern buyer for $25m each. The higher price for the second group reflects the inclusion of bow/stern thrusters on the ships and the fact that they are of more recent construction.
In the Capesize segment the newly delivered M/V SPICE (176,000 dwt 2012 blt Jinhai) is reported to have been purchased by Chinese buyers for US$ 33.5m. In the supramax sector the Japanese controlled M/V MIMOSA (53,556 dwt 2007 blt Iwagi) has been committed to clients of Thoresen Thai for US$ 17.1m while the M/V NANOS (50,236 dwt 2002 blt Mitsui) is sold to clients of Gurita Lines, Jakarta for US$ 14m with a prompt charterfree delivery. On handies, the Japanese controlled M/V ETERNAL CONFIDENCE (29,905 dwt 2002 blt Shikoku) has been sold to Turkish buyers for US$ 10.7m basis a charterfree delivery in China within December 2012.
In the Tanker S+P market; BW Maritime have offloaded 2 Japanese built units. Understand “BW UBUD” (299,990 dwt 2000 blt IHI) and “URAL” (299,990 dwt 2000 blt IHI) have been sold to Greek buyers at the reported purchase price of US$ 29.1 m each" said Clarkson Hellas.
In a similar report, Lion Shipbrokers noted on the dry bulk market, that "Japanese controlled GREAT PHEASANT (178K BLT 2000 HYUNDAI/S.KOREA) is reported sold to undisclosed interests for $17.5 mill. Following last week’s purchase of RUBIN ACE (151K BLT 1996 NKK/JAPAN), clients of N.G. Moundreas of Greece are also linked with acquisitions of two off-market capes; AQUABELLA (161K BLT 1995 HYUNDAI/S. KOREA) for the price of $10.5 mill & two years younger MATILDE (160K BLT 1997 HYUNDAI/S. KOREA) for the price of $12 mill. Mid-week, we picked up that modern panamax SANTA TERESA (77K BLT 2006 OSHIMA/JAPAN) is committed to Greek interests for $17 mill while older unit BRAVE STAR (73K BLT 2000 THUNEISHI/JAPAN) has gone to clients of GS Holdings of South Korea for $10.8 mill. Japanese controlled supramax MIMOSA (53K BLT 2007 IWAGI/JAPAN) is finally snapped by clients of Thoresen Thai of Thailand for $16.7- $17 mill. Smaller unit FLORAL LAKE (50K BLT 2003 MITSUI/JAPAN) is committed to Greek interests (hearing clients of Hellenic Carriers) in excess of $14 mill while one year older NANOS (50K BLT 2002 MITSUI/JAPAN) went for the same price to Far-Eastern buyers (hearing clients of PCL of Singapore).
Turkish buyers are behind the purchase of handy ETERNAL CONFIDENCE (29K BLT 2002 SHIKOKU/JAPAN) for $10.5 mill, in line with September’s sale of logger PEONY (29K BLT 2001 SHIKOKU/JAPAN) for $10.1 mill to clients of Nachipa of Chile. In an off market sale ex-Japan market, nineties vintage logger ACE BRIDGE (28K BLT 1999 IMABARI/JAPAN) is sold to Greek buyers (hearing to clients of Transbulk of Greece) for $8.5 mill", the shipbroker's report said.
In the tanker market, "clients of Libra Shipping of Greece have confirmed purchases of three vintage VLCCs: They acquired en bloc sisters BW UBUD & URAL (299K BLT 2000 IHI/JAPAN) for a firm $28-$29 mill each in addition to older unit TI GUARDIAN (290K BLT 1993 MITSUBISHI/JAPAN) for $22 mill. Following last week’s acquisition of HELLESPONT TRIUMPH (157K BLT 1997 DAEWOO/S. KOREA) for $15 mil, we picked up that clients of Dynacom of Greece have also purchased aframax HELLESPONT TRADER (148K BLT 1996 MITSUI/JAPAN) for $11.5 mill. Methanol suitable MR ADA (45K BLT 1997 DALIAN/CHINA) is reported sold for the very firm level in excess of $15 mill basis ss/dd surveys freshly passed to Far-Eastern buyers (remind you she was bought as the SELENDANG PERMATA from IMC of Singapore back in January for $7.5 mill). Japanese controlled Stainless steel unit EASTERN EUREKA (8K BLT 1999 SHIN KURUSHIMA/JAPAN) was bought by Indonesian interests for $6 mill. Bunker tanker TENA (5.5K BLT 2000 CELIKTEKNE/TURKEY) was committed to Russian buyers for the price of $6.5 mill.