The newbuilding market has been lit on fire as major container liners have moved forward with their newbuilding plans. In its latest weekly report, shipbroker Allied Shipbroking said that “following on from MSC’s US$1.2bn order last week, the third largest container carrier, CMA CGM, announced investment in 12 new vessels of its own. Interestingly, CMA CGM has opted for methanol powered ships, as opposed to the more common LNG fuel option. Looking back over the past year, a considerable number of container and PCTC vessels have been ordered with these fuel sources in comparison to other types of vessel, but not exclusively so, with Mitsui and Cargill joining forces to order two methanol fueled bulk carriers. Although LNG does not have the same green potential as methanol or ammonia as a fuel source, it seems almost certain that orders will increasingly be for vessels with these fuel types as regulation and ESG pressures push owners away from conventional fuel types. Last week also saw orders placed for 10 MR tankers, from three buyers across three shipbuilders. Those to be scrubber fitted and built in South Korea, are reportedly priced at around US$4m above the vessels order at Chinese shipbuilders and without scrubber fitted”, the shipbroker said.
In a separate note, shipbroker Banchero Costa added that it was a “quiet week for Nebuilding with low activity and few deals reported. The largest order was reported in the containership sector with CMA CGM that ordered 12 x 13,000 teu methanol dual fuelled units from Hyundai Samho; the price reported for this block of units is $2.05bln with deliveries expected in 2025 for the first 6 units, and in 2026 for the other 6.
In the tanker market, the Singapore based Owner Jaldhi Overseas placed an order for 3 x 50,000 dwt MR2 tankers from Yangzi-Mitsui Shipyard. Deliveries expected in 2025, the reported price per unit was $40.5mln. NYK added one more 86,700 cbm LPG/ammonia carrier to the five already in construction from Kawasaki, delivery in September 2026. Particularly poor the activity in the dry segment with Taylor Maritime reportedly placing an order at an undisclosed Japanese yard for the construction of a 40,000 dwt Bulk carrier, for delivery in February 2024. The price remained private, but it appears that the vessel will be dualfuel propelled, burning ammonia as second fuel”.
Meanwhile, in the S&P market, Allied noted that “last week saw a boost in secondhand sales, with more vessels changing hands, possibly influenced by the end of the Lunar holidays in the East. In the dry bulk sector, transactions are gradually picking up, although the majority of sales are focused on the smaller segments of Supramax and below. If market expectations prove right, we should expect to see buying appetite further increase in the coming weeks, in hopes of a healthier market. In the tanker market, SnP activity resumed to stronger than last week numbers, with transactions spread across the board. Almost half of the vessels bought were VLCCs, with an en-bloc sale pushing the numbers to considerably higher than usual. The remaining revolved mostly around product tankers, on the back of both the embargo on Russian clean oil products and the stronger demand in now re-opened China”.
Banchero Costa added that “in the dry market, Norwegian controlled Bonita 58,000 dwt built 2010 Tsuneishi Zhoushan (SS due 2025; BWTS fitted) was sold at $15.8mln to Greek buyers; the sister vessel 2 years older, the Navios Amryllis was reported at $14mln to Guarita lines. Two weeks ago offers were invited on the African Venture 35,000 dwt built 2012 Chengxi (SS due 2025 BWTS fitted Tier II ME) and she is finally gone to Greek Buyers at $12.75mln.
A strong interest was recorded for larger tanker. After offers were invited on 17 January Amoroza 159,000 dwt built 2001 Hyundai (SS due 2025 BWTS fitted) was sold for $27mln. Greek controlled Atlantis 105,000 dwt built 2008 Sumitomo was purchased by Greek Buyers in the high $30s mln basis surveys due Sept 2023. IMO II MR Proodos 45,000 dwt built 2005 STX (deepwell pumps BWTS fitted SS due 2025) was reported to European buyers at $18.5mln, a few weeks back the Challenge Passage 48,000 dwt built 2005 Iwagi (pumproom type BWTS fitted) was done at $17.5mln”.
Source: Hellenic Shipping News
