Although 2012 has by now evolved into one of the most challenging years for global shipping industry, ship owners are scouting the second hand ship purchasing markets vigorously, in an attempt to secure modern tonnage at discounted prices. According to the latest weekly report from Lion Shipbrokers, "on the dry bulk side, this week we heard that clients of Sinokor of South Korea purchased vintage ore carrier HEBEI WINNER (256K BLT 1993 IHI/JAPAN) for the price of $12 mill in line with two week old en bloc sale of GENERAL (243K BLT 1992 HITACHI/JAPAN) & WARRIOR (240K BLT 1990 IHI/JAPAN) by same buyes for $24 mill.
Demand for capesize tonnage is stronger week by week; In the begging of September, clients of Swissmarine of Greece purchased ORCHID RIVER (170K BLT 1997 KOYO/JAPAN) for $12.3 mill basis special & dry-docking surveys freshly passed, this week two years older capesize unit NSS ADVANCE(173KBLT 1995 SASEBO/JAPAN) has attracted $10 mill by clients of Vista Shipping. The bombshell of the week! In a bank cotrolled sale, clients of Allseas Marine are reported to have acquired en bloc three supramaxes and one handysize vessel for the price of $74 mill. The 3 supramax vessels are sisters CHUNGO TRES, ARROZERO TRES, MINERO TRES (3 X 57K NLT 2011 JIANGDONG/CHINA) while the handysize vessel is the DESTINO DOS (28K BLT 2003 KANDA/JAPAN)" the shipbroker said.
It added that in the Tanker segment, "we picked up that modern MR tanker SEAEDEN (45K BLT 2007 SHIN KURUSHIMA/JAPAN) is committed either clients of Thenamaris of Greece or clients of Nathalin of Thailand for $18.5 mill. Less than a month ago (middle of September), slightly older sisters AVONDEN, OAKDEN, ESKDEN (45K BLT 2004 SHIN KURUSHIMA/JAPAN) were committed en block to clients of AVIN of Greece for $42 mill which translates to $14 mill each. Handy stainless steel sisters JO ASK & JO EIK (2 X 19K BLT 1997/98 GIJONESA/SPAIN) have obtained the price of $11-$11.5 mill each by Angola-based interests. Smaller chemical & product unit SUN VICTORY (6.5K BLT 2000 MURAKAMI/JAPAN) was sold to Indonesian based buyers for $4.8 mill. Furthermore this week LPG carrier SIGLOO ESPOO (13K BLT 1985 MOSS ROSENBERG/NORWAY) was sold for $7.5 mill to Dubai based buyers" it concluded.
In a separate report, Clarkson Hellas said that "in the dry sector, the Japanese controlled capesize M/V NSS ADVANCE (173,246 dwt 1995 Sasebo) invited offers on Thursday last week and reported committed to Chinese buyers for a price in the region of US$ 10m. In the Wet sector, the M/T SEAEDEN (45,983 dwt 2007 blt Shin Kurushima) reported sold at region US$ 18.5m, to Far Easterns, possibly Indonesian buyers. On the smaller sizes, the Far East controlled product tanker sisters M/T BOW DE FENG and M/T BOW DE RICH (12,000 dwt 2002/2003 blt Fukuoka) have been sold to Sinochem, China for region US$ 21m enbloc" Clarkson said.
In a similar note, shipbroker Intermodal noted that "activity was slightly more firm this week with a number of enbloc deals reported in both the tanker and dry bulk markets, while we have also seen a number of deals which have been promoted by their banks in order to “fix their portfolios. On the Tankers side, we had the sale of the “Khorfakkan” (105,304dwt-blt 10 Japan) which after the previous reported deal failed has now been reported to be picked up by Dubai based Horizon Energy for a price of $ 34.0m. While on the dry bulker side, we had the sale of the “NSS Advance” (173,246dwt-blt 95 Japan) which was reported sold for a price of $ 10.5m" said Intermodal.
Meanwhile, demolition-wise, the shipbroker said that "with Interest from both Indian and Pakistani demo buyers remain red hot, we were able to see a further improvement in offered prices this week. This has been despite the continuation of difficulties present in the Bangladeshi market which has been reflected in the stagnant prices offered there. Things in Bangladeshi are looking to remain under trouble for a little while longer, as rumors circulate of renegotiating of previous deals taking place. The shifts in foreign exchange have helped keep prices positive especially in India, however as offered demo candidates once again on the rise it will be interesting to see if these current price levels will hold. Prices improved this week, as wet tonnages saw levels of 325-435$/ldt and dry units at about 305-415$/ldt" the report concluded.
Nikos Roussanoglou, Hellenic Shipping News Worldwide