Dry Bulkers in High Demand Despite Holiday Festivities Around the World

The dry bulk market has been filled with S&P deals over the course of the past few weeks, despite a series of holidays around the world.  In its latest weekly report, shipbroker Intermodal commented that “almost through half of the year, the overall shipping market continues to show signs of healthiness, after plenty of festivities and holidays that occurred concurrently over the past weeks, where someone could expect the opposite. More specifically, in the Dry Bulk market the BDI is witnessing levels higher than its previous high of the current year, being at 2,939 points as of today, with its previous high of this year being recorded back in mid-March at 2,727 points”.

According to Intermodal’s SnP Broker, Mr. Mohamed Rabie, “despite having all these holidays in the past weeks, the total number of deals seems to be mainly affected in the Dry Bulk market even while the values remain at similar or even firmer levels. In mid-February 2022, Capesize M/V MINERAL BELGIUM (174kdwt 2005 SWS//SS & DD: 06-2022) had achieved high US$ 15m while the 1 yr younger and BWTS fitted M/V Aquascope (174kdwt 2004 SWS//SS: 11-2026 & DD: 03-2025) achieved US$ 19,7m in early April 2022. Post Panamax M/V Sicilian Express (93kdwt 2013 Cosco Dalian//SS & DD: 01-2023) was sold at the end of January 2022 for levels close to US$ 20m while the 1 yr older and BWTS fitted sister, M/V Hong Guang (93kdwt 2012 COSCO Dalian//Next DD: 04-2023) was sold at the end of April 2022 for US$ 23 million.

Tier II Kamsarmax M/V Sea Neptune (81kdwt 2013 Xiamen//SS & DD: 03-2023) had secured US$ 23m at the end of March 2022, while the same buyers took at the end of April 2022 the exact sister M/V Sea Hermes (81kwt 2013 Xiamen//SS & DD: 01-2023) at mid US$ 23 million. Chinese built M/V SITC Lushan & exact sister M/V SITC Zhoushan (76kdwt 2013 Yangfan) both BWTS fitted & with next DD in end-2023 were sold at the end of April 2022 at US$ 22m each while in the early-April 2022 the younger M/V RIO GRITA (75kdwt Taizhou Kouan//Next DD: 02-2024)-BWTS fitted had achieved US$ 22,5m”.

Mr. Rabie added that “at the end of April 2022, Eco type Ultramax M/V Tomini Integrity (60kdwt 2016 Onomichi//Next DD: 12-2024)-BWTS fitted, got sold for US$ 33,5m basis a prompt delivery, while in mid-February 2022, the also Eco type M/V Ultra Excellence (61kdwt 2016 Tadotsu//Next DD: 09-2024)-BWTS fitted had more than 10 buyers chasing her and ended up being sold at mid US$ 31m basis delivery towards June 2022. Supramax M/V Therese Selmer (56kdwt 2006 Mitsui//Next DD: 11-2024)-BWTS fitted has just obtained a price in the rgn of US$ 17m while the 1 yr younger sister vessel M/V Hai Long (56kdwt 2007 Mitsui//Next DD: 06-2023)- BWTS not fitted, was sold in beg-March 2022 for rgn US$ 16 million. In the Handysize segment M/V Ionic Huntress (34kdwt 2012 Dae Sun) has reportedly been sold last week at US$ 19,5m basis SS/DD due and BWTS on order, while the exact sister vessel M/V Ionic Halo was sold at the end of March 2022 for slightly less than US$ 19m basis SS/D passed and BWTS fitted. Moreover, M/V Seaster Empress (35kdwt 2011 nantong//SS: 11-2026 & DD: 01-2025)-BWTS fitted/Tier II, was sold in ear-April 2022 at US$ 16,5m while the also BWTS fitted/Tier II M/V Jin Da (35kdwt 2011 Nanjing Dongze//SS: 09-2026 & DD: 09-2024) is now rumoured sold at levels in the low-mid US$ 17m. One could expect an increase in SnP Activity with the holidays ending and with various markets opening again”, Intermodal’s broker concluded.
Nikos Roussanoglou, Hellenic Shipping News Worldwide