In Hellenic Shipping News 18/01/2017
It seems that the trend set in 2016, when newbuilding orders hit a multi-year low is going to spill over to 2017 as well, with the majority of ship owners shying away from contracting, despite attractive prices. In its latest weekly report, shipbroker Allied Shipbroking noted that “after a fair amount of activity being seen in the first week of the year, things seem to have settled back down with minimal reported these past couple of days and those revolved around more specialized vessels. We have started to see a slight downward trend in prices for tanker vessels, with shipbuilders likely betting that these will continue their main source of new orders, while trying to make the option more enticing to potential buyers. There are a some that expect that the increased pressure should push price levels even lower within the year, though the increased cost factor is likely to deter shipbuilders from making too big discounts for now. With most commodities having made a considerable com back in terms of prices over the past twelve months and further increases now expected to be noted in the near term, it seems as though the current floor in shipbuilding prices could continue to hold”.
In a separate newbuilding report this week, shipbroker Clarkson Platou Hellas noted that “in Tankers, although contracted before the end of last year, it has been reported this week that Clients of Pleiades Shipping Agents have placed an order for two firm plus two optional 50,000 DWT MR Tankers at Hyundai Mipo Dockyard. The two firm units will deliver in 1H 2018 and the optional two units would be delivered within 2018, if declared. Asahi Tanker have extended their series at Minami Nippon by declaring an option for one 51,000 DWT MR Tanker. This will be the 3rd vessel in the series and is set for delivery within 2019. In other sectors, VARD have announced receiving an order from Torghatten Nord AS for two firm 6,850 GT Passenger / Car Ferries for delivery in 2H 2018. The vessels will be able to carry 550 passengers and 180 cars and will be built to be LNG fuelled”, concluded Clarkson Platou Hellas.
Meanwhile, in the S&P market, things are completely different and much more vivid. Ship valuations’ specialist, VesselsValue, noted that in the tanker market, Suezmax values have firmed slightly. “Sifnos (150,900 DWT, Jul 1999, NKK) was bought by Kyklades Maritime for USD 12 mil, VV value USD 11.43 mil. MR2 tanker values have remained stable. Imbondiero (46,000 DWT, Oct 1998, Daedong) sold DD due for USD 5 million”, said VV. In the container market, values also remained stable, with the exception of Post Panamax vessels. “Older Post Panamax tonnage has softened due to the demolition sale of the Grenada (4,256 TEU, Jan 2010, Jiangsu New Yangzijiang) the second 7 year old vessel to be sold for scrap.
In the dry bulk S&P market, VesselsValue said that “Capesize values have remained stable. The Dong A Ether (179,200 DWT, Aug 2011, Hyundai Samho Heavy Ind) and Dong A Leto (179,600 DWT, Mar 2010, Hyundai Samho Heavy Ind) sold in an en bloc deal to Winning Shipping for USD 46.5 mil. Panamax values have remained stable. A wide beam Panamax vessel the Thrasyvoulos (84,700 DWT, Feb 2017, Sasebo) was bought by Samos Steamship for USD 24 mil. The Epson Trader (82,100 DWT, Dec 2009, Tsuneishi Zosen) sold by Nisshin to Chartworld for USD 12.2 mil, VV value USD 12.78 mil. Bubalin (76,400 DWT, Jun 2004, Tsuneishi Zosen) sold for USD 7.5 mil, VV USD 7.02 mil. In older tonnage, Ever Shining (74,300 DWT, Dec 1999, Namura) sold for USD 4.35 mil, VV USD 4.21 mil.
Supramax values have softened for mid age tonnage. New Caledonia Maru (58,100 DWT, Jan 2013, Tsuneishi Cebu) sold for USD 14.9 mil, VV USD 15.04 mil has confirmed this. The handysize Nord Barcelona (36,800 DWT, Jan 2011, Hyundai Vinashin) sold to Norbulk for USD 9.0 mil, VV USD 8.8 mil. In older tonnage, Genco Reliance (30,000 DWT, Sep 1999, Oshima) sold for USD 3.5 mil, VV USD 3.65 million”, concluded VesselsValue.
In a separate note, Allied Shipbroking said that “in the dry bulk side, activity has held firm, keeping in line with what we had witnessed throughout the second half of 2016. Interest amongst buyers has surely been strong, with a number of buyers actively looking for any high spec tonnage that enters the market and most sales candidates seeing a strong number of buyers inspecting and placing offers. Prices have yet to feed off this increased buying interest, though it looks as though we are very close to seeing a strong upward price momentum being generated. On the tanker side, Things were nowhere as busy as what is being seen in the dry bulk market, though it was a sure improvement compared to what was noted one week prior. We started to see some activity emerge in the larger crude oil carriers which have been lacking a presence these past couple of weeks”, the shipbroker concluded.
Nikos Roussanoglou, Hellenic Shipping News Worldwide
