Newbuilding Orders on the Rise

Newbuilding activity has kept it upward trend over the past week. In its latest weekly report, shipbroker Banchero Costa said that “business activity remained robust this week, with 45 new orders secured. Maersk secured 20 Containership orders of which 2 x 9,000 teu and 6 x 17,000 teu ships at Yangzijiang and 6 x 16,000 teu equally split between Hanwha Ocean and New Times. Deliveries stem from 2028 to 2030 and all vessels will be dual fuel LNG propelled. The tanker sector is showing consistent forward momentum. Evalend Shipping increasing its orders at Yangzijiang Shipbuilding. The company doubled its original purchase of four 39,000 DWT MR1 Handysize product carriers to eight, with each vessel estimated at $43 million with delivery planned end of 2028. Another recent order came from Nanjing Tanker, which committed $252 million for 4 dual fuel methanol 65,000 DWT crude oil carriers, with a per-unit cost just under $63 million with delivery planned to be June 2027. Greek shipowner DryDel finalized a deal for two 182,000 DWT scrubber fitted Capesize units to be built by Namura Shipyard in Japan. Deliveries are scheduled in 2028”.

Meanwhile, in the S&P market, in a separate note this week, shipbroker Xclusiv, commented that “another active week on the dry S&P market passed. The Capesize “OTSL Athena” – 174K/2007 SWS was sold for USD 24.5 mills, while the Post Panamax “Century Wave” – 92K/2013 Oshima, found new owners in China for USD 22 mills. Moving to Panamaxes, “Navios Sagittarius” – 76K/2006 Sanoyas and “Stratton” – 74K/2004 Hudong Zhonghua were sold for USD 10.5 mills and low USD 7 mills respectively. Finally the supramax “Porthos” – 56K/2010 Jiangsu Hantong, was sold to the Indonesians Pt Pelayaran Bahtera Adhiguna for xs USD 13 mills”.

Meanwhile, “tanker S&P activity was subdued this week. The “Songa Breeze”- 20K/2009 Fukuoka was sold for USD 24.8 mills basis TC attached to Bahri at USD 20,250/day till April/May 2026, while the “Winter”- 13K/2009 21st Century changed hands for high USD 13 mills”, the shipbroker concluded.

Banchero Costa added that “in the dry segment the CAPE DREAM 179,000 dwt 2011 Hyundai (SS due 2026 BWTS fitted) was sold at $28 mln to Chinese buyers. Greek buyers were behind the purchase of the OTSL ARTEMIS and 177,000 dwt 2008 Shanghai Jiangnan Changxing (SS due 2028 BWTS fitted) and OTSL ATHENA 174,109 dwt 2007 Shanghai Waigaoqiao (SS due 2026 BWTS fitted) both sold enbloc for $48 mln. After offers were invited last week Post Panamax Century Wave 92,000 dwt built 2013 Oshima (SS due 2028 BWTS fitted) was committed at region $22 mln to Dongguan Haichang. Chinese buyers were reported to have bought TEAM SAMBA 32,000 dwt 2005 Saiki (SS due 2025 BWTS fitted) at $9.3 mln. The vintage Handy tanker MAERSK BERING 29,000 dwt 2005 Guangzhou built (SS due 2025 BWTS fitted) was reported sold for $15 mln”, the shipbroker concluded.

Nikos Roussanoglou, Hellenic Shipping News Worldwide