In Hellenic Shipping News 22/04/2015
The continued growth of the tanker market keeps acting as a type of “bait” for many ship owners looking to capitalize on this trend. As such, shipbroker Allied Shipbroking said in its latest weekly report that “things are starting to stir on the newbuilding front with a number of new contracts emerging for tanker units this week, while rumors abound regarding further contracts being in the works”.
According to Allied, “this pattern is likely to continue over the coming months as things become more bullish in terms of growth in seaborne oil trade this year. Never-theless the pace has not picked up significantly to create any real con-cern as to the prospects for the sector (i.e. addition of too much sup-ply) for the time being and while shipbuilders have been putting a real effort to entice new orders prices have still remained fairly steady. The picture seems to be quite different when it comes to dry bulk orders with minimal activity being reported this year so far and not much more expected to emerge in the more imminent future.
One of the most notable deals this week was that struck by HHI of S. Korea with the Bahri (formerly known as the National shipping Company of Saudi Arabia), for five firm and five optional VLCCs (319,000dwt) for a price of US$ 97.0m with delivery set for between 2017 and 2018″.
Meanwhile, in a separate report, shipbroker Clarkson Hellas noted that “in Tankers, Samsung Heavy Industries are reported to have won an order for two firm 155,000 DWT Suezmax tankers for Clients of Cardiff Marine for delivery in 4Q 2016. It was reported earlier this month that Samsung Heavy Industries had also contracted four firm 115,000 DWT ice class Aframax tankers with Clients of Cardiff Marine for delivery in 2017. Doun Kisen are understood to have placed an order for two firm 38,000 DWT IMO-II SUS Tankers at Kitanihon Zosen in Japan. This duo is due to deliver in 2018 and will go on a long term charter to Iino Kaiun Kaisha. Sloman Neptun Schiffahrts are reported to have extended their order at Jiangzhou Union by declaring an option to build one 16,500 DWT IMO-II Chemical Tanker. This will be 2nd vessel in the series and will deliver in 4Q 2016″.
The shipbroker added that there was “only one order to report this week in the container market with Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) reported to have ordered four firm 11,000 TEU Container carriers at Hanjin Heavy Industries and Construction. This new set of units are scheduled to deliver throughout 2Q and 3Q in 2017 from Hanjin Heavy’s Subic yard in the Philippines”.
Clarkson Hellas added that “in other sectors, Anji Automotive Logistics have contracted one firm plus one optional 3,800 CEU PCTC at CSC Jinling Shipyard for delivery in 2017. This is the return from Anji Automotive Logistics to the yard after they had declared an option in May last year for a second 2,000 CEU PCC due to deliver within 2016. Lastly, Vyborg shipyard in Russia have announced an order for two firm multipurpose diesel-powered icebreaking support vessels from Gazprom Neft Novy Port. The pair will be delivered within 2018 and will be operated on the Arctic terminal of Novoportovskoye oilfield located in the west of the Gulf of Ob on the Yamal peninsula”.
Finally, in the sale & purchasing market, Allied Shipbroking noted that “activity is still there for the dry bulk segment, with a number of units changing hands, with prices as it seems having found a sweet spot as there seems to be hardly any buyers around wanting to outbid other buyers in effect avoiding to offer any premium on comparable past deals. As such it looks as though this new asset price reality is here to stay for now, with possible softening in sight if freight market condi-tions continue to be this difficult as we get closer to the seasonally softer summer months. On the tanker side, things were moving a bit slow this week with minimal activity reported and only revolving smaller product and chemical tanker units. Overall prices continue to keep their firm pace although with few deals having been concluded it might be misleading as to the current market direction which might be set for slightly firmer numbers”, the shipbroker concluded.
Nikos Roussanoglou, Hellenic Shipping News Worldwide
