South Korean shipowner SK Shipping has paid a very firm $58.1m each for a pair of 2011-built capesizes.
The company has snapped up the 179,000-dwt Sungdong Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering-built Ocean Challenge and sister ship Conches from compatriot KCH Shipping, brokers said.
The deal includes the balance of the vessel’s charter to HMM for two and a half years at an above-market $27,000 per day.
Brokers said the price reflected the high charter and contrasts sharply with rumours that a Greek buyer has paid only $45m for a charter-free Japanese capsesize resale due for delivery in the autumn.
London-headquartered Clarksons quotes $48m and rival ICAP Shipping estimates a value of around $51m for a readily available resale capesize.
The 2011-built, Ocean Challenge is on a time charter contract to HMM at $26,400 per day, while sister vessel Conches is reportedly chartered out to operator Swiss Marine at $26,000 per day, Gibson said in its weekly sale and purchase report.
These rates are well above the $15,000 per day Clarksons quotes as a price assessment on a three-year capesize time charter deal at present.