Greek Ship Owners Place More Newbuilding Orders

Greek ship owners have placed more tanker newbuilding orders this week. In its latest weekly report, shipbroker Allied Shipbroking said that “in the tanker sector, Greeks accounted for the majority of deals as they continue to lead way in tanker contracting. Dynacom have ordered 2 LR1 vessels at Yangzijiang, taking the yard’s total to 8 orders for this vessel type, while the latest investor release from Navios has confirmed 4 Aframax/LR2 tankers, including $3.3m pv of additions, thought to be from Zhoushan Changhong. On the alt-fuel side, Hayfin Capital Management has confirmed two firm and two optional orders for methanol-fuelled suezmax tankers for $85.5m per vessel. On the dry side, Eastern Pacific have declared 3 options at Qingdao Beihai for ammonia-df Newcastlemaxes, to bring its total at the yard to 6 vessels. Confidence in the future of ammonia was further demonstrated through North Sea Container Line’s order, in conjunction with Yara, for a small container vessel, while AP Moller is reportedly targeting the supply side and at the LOI stage for up to 10 conventionally fuelled 93k cbm ammonia carriers. The weeks biggest deal, expected to conclude soon, is for 12 PCTCs for Hyundai Glovis, thought to have arranged the newbuilding slots but not be the ultimate owners of the vessels”, Allied said.

In a similar report this week, shipbroker Banchero Costa said that “in a week dominated by tanker orders, the only remarkable order in dry segment comes from Eastern Pacific, which added 3 x 210,000 dwt NewCastlemax at Qingdao Beihai. This order brings the total number of vessels ordered by the Singapore based owner at the Chinese yard to 6. All the vessels will be dual fuel ammonia propelled and priced $80 mln each, with the latest trio to be delivered in 2027. Dynacom has chosen Yangzijiang to build 2 x LR1 tankers at a price of $53 mln each, deliveries expected in June and December 2026. Vessels will fit engines that will burn conventional marine fuel. Navios Maritime officially confirmed orders for 4 x LR2 at a price of $64.55 mln each.

An additional $3.3 mln per ship has been allocated for potential fuel enhancements. All deliveries are scheduled to take place within 2026. The identity of the builder remains undisclosed so far. Hayfin Capital invested $85.5 mln for each of the two Suezmax it ordered at Hyundai + the option to acquire 2 more. These vessels are expected to be delivered by Hyundai in 2026. A preliminary agreement seems to have been reached between Maersk and Hyundai Samho for the construction of 4 x LPG ammonia vessels with a capacity of 93,000 cbm. The price is rumored around $111 mln each. In the same agreement apparently there are options for up to 6 x 40,000 cbm LPG ammonia units. Pacific Gas committed 6 x 61,500 dwt ethylene carriers at Jiangnan Shipyard in China. Deliveries are expected between early 2027 and 2028”.

Meanwhile, in the S&P market, Allied added that “on the dry bulk side, the snp market moved ahead of the previous week’s pace, with the number of fresh transactions appearing to be fairly robust at this point, even as asset prices remain on an upward mode, indicating that sentiment has found support during the past couple of months. Notwithstanding this, while freight rates are feeling considerable pressure once again, it won’t be surprising if the spread in price ideas disrupts the current momentum in flow of deals in the near term. On the tanker side, the snp market has managed to escape from the recent mediocre activity levels, with numerous en-bloc deals boosting the overall number of vessels being sold. While spot rates having geared up once again for the majority of the size segments, we might expect fresh interest to push transaction levels higher in the upcoming period”.

Banchero Costa added that it was “an active week in the dry second hand market. 2 Japanese built Capesize sisterships, the OCEAN CORONA 180,000 dwt 2009 built Koyo and the CAPE FLAMINGO 180,000 dwt 2005 built were reported sold to Chinese Buyers, at $20.8 mln and $15.4 mln respectively. Another Japanese vessel, the SATORI 177,000 dwt 2007 built Mitsui, was rumored sold to Turkish buyers for $18.5 mln. Another interesting deal from Japan: the FJM GLORY 61,000 dwt 2019 built DACKS was rumoured sold enbloc with the LOWLANDS MIMOSA 63,000 dwt 2018 built Tsuneishi Cebu at rgn $29 mln each. It is worth mentioning that at the end of May the sistership GREAT VENTURE 2019 built DACKS was sold at auction at $30 mln.

In the Handysize segment, the 2012 Dae Sun built RIA 34,000 dwt was reported sold to Greek Buyers at $14.2 mln while the VALOR SW 29,000 dwt 2008 built Shikoku was rumoured sold to Lebanese buyers at $8.45 mln. In tanker market, the LR1 NORDIC JOSEPHINE 74,000 dwt 2007 built New Century was rumored sold at $23 mln to undisclosed buyers. During the first week of October a Chinese built same aged 76,000 dwt tanker CHEMTRANS AEGEAN 2007 Dalian (now renamed Paloma) was reported sold at $22 mln. In the MR1 segment, the LEON ZEUS 40,000 dwt 2008 built Santeriul was reported sold at $21.5 mln to European buyers. The ELVIRA 37,000 dwt 2010 built Hyundai Mipo was sold to undisclosed buyers at a price of $23.5 mln – In July the one year younger LEON POSEIDON (renamed ZAPHIRA) 37,000 dwt 2011 built Hyundai Mipo was sold at $25 mln. Also worth mentioning is the sale of the modern Chinese built DICTADOR 34,000 dwt 2019 Fujian Mawei sold to undisclosed buyers at a reported price of $29.2 mln.”, the shipbroker concluded.

Nikos Roussanoglou, Hellenic Shipping News Worldwide