Ship Owners Stock Up On Newbuilding Containerships and Gas Carriers
In a separate note, Banchero Costa said that “during the past week, AMPTC has placed an order for four LR2 tankers (abt 114,000 dwt) at Hyundai at a price level of $81 mln apiece. Deliveries are set for 2023 and 2024. Vessels to be LNG dual fuel. Hyundai Mipo received an order for two 2,500 teu feeders from Tawaianese owner Nam Sung priced at a high $41 mln each.
Deliveries are set for 2nd half of 2023. A joint venture between between Arcelor Mittal and DryLog named as Global Chartering Ltd placed an order for 4 x 120,000-dwt mini-Capes at New Times Shipbuilding at just below $40 mln each with deliveries expected during 2023”.
Meawnhile, in the S&P market, Allied said that “on the dry bulk side, several transactions took place during this past week, albeit the overall volume has decline compared to the previous very active weeks. Interest has been focused on handysize units during this past week, a segment with an attractive earnings to investment ratio. As the freight market has entered a correction mode, it is expected that smaller units will continue being at the centre of attention amongst buyers.
However, given that sentiment is still at overall robust levels, more activity is expected to emerge across the whole size class spectrum as well. On the tanker side, there was an improved number of transactions as of late, with interest expanded amongst buyers, nourished by the first signs of a robust market recovery. However, given the fragility of this recovery, it is questionable if interest will continue to be as vivid over the coming weeks. This past week, product tankers were the prime focus, a trend that is likely to continue to hold”.
Banchero Costa added that “since the charter market is slightly descending, there is a natural slowdown in buying activity. Buyers are now looking for a discount from recent highs, while it remains to be seen whether Sellers are willing to concede some. 5 handy bulkers have been sold in the last week – interestingly, all of them are between the ages of 2010 and 2013, were built in China, and are capable of achieving very strong $16.5 to 18 mln ranges.
Wet: A few sales occurred last week, with two LR2 scrubbers set to change hands soon. In fact, “Advantage Arrow” and “Advantage Avenue,” both 115k dwt 2009 Samsungs, were sold en bloc for $52 mln enbloc. In the MR2 segment, three tankers were sold in 2006/2007 with Korean units (IMO ii/iii, etc.) getting a premium of about $1 mln more compared to Japanese units, as was the case for “Star Eagle” / “Star Falcon” 2007 blt – $11.25 mln for the Korean and $10 mln ‘only’ for the Japanese”, the shipbroker concluded.
Nikos Roussanoglou, Hellenic Shipping News Worldwide