30-July-2015
The dry bulk shipping division of the state-run power conglomerate Yudean Group, Guangdong Yudean Shipping, has ordered a panamax bulk carrier from Shanhaiguan yard. China’s state-owned Shanhaiguan Shipbuilding has received an order for a new bulker from a domestic owner. Guangdong Yudean Shipping, a subsidiary of Guangdong Yudean Group, has chosen the China Industry Shipbuilding Corp (CSIC)-controlled yard to construct a solid 76K DWT panamax bulk carrier, scheduled for delivery in the first half of 2017. The agreement also includes an option. While the exact price remains undisclosed, experts estimate it to be slightly above $25 million. A reliable source confirms the order, mentioning that the contract was signed some time ago. It is reported that Guangdong Yudean Shipping intends to utilize the bulker for transporting coal on domestic routes.
30-July-2015
Amidst the ascent of asset values, Athens-based Vassilis Laliotis-led shipowner and operator Sea Globe Management and Trading Inc, has swiftly acquired another supramax bulk carrier adding to built supramax bulk carrier growing fleet. Greek shipowner and operator Sea Globe Management and Trading Inc reportedly expended approximately $13.5 million to purchase the 2008 Tsuneishi-built supramax bulk carrier 58K DWT MV Nord Reliable from Japanese shipowner and operator Daiichi Chuo Kiesen K.K. Should this reported deal come to fruition and receive confirmation, it would undoubtedly be a judicious move. A mere five weeks earlier, Sea Globe Management and Trading Inc acquired the 2008 Tsuneishi-built supramax bulk carrier 58K DWT MV Nord Liberty, a sister vessel to MV Nord Reliable, from yet another Japanese shipowner.
16-July-2015
Naples-based shipowner and operator Michele Bottiglieri Armatore (MBA) descends from a lineage deeply entrenched in maritime affairs. For many years, Michele Bottiglieri collaborated with his sister at Rizzo Bottiglieri De Carlini S.p.A (RBD S.p.A) before establishing his own esteemed shipping enterprise, Michele Bottiglieri Armatore (MBA), in 2008. Currently, Michele Bottiglieri helms a fleet comprising five contemporary bulk carriers: three kamsarmax bulk carriers and two post-panamax bulk carriers. Despite the challenges of a diminished dry bulk market in recent years, Michele Bottiglieri’s enterprise has thrived. However, Michele Bottiglieri finds himself at a crossroads, pondering the future viability of smaller operators in the shipping sector. Michele Bottiglieri emphasizes that the core responsibilities of a shipowner remain unchanged. Nevertheless, seismic shifts have transpired in ship financing, notably the influx of funds and the retreat of banks, particularly Italian financiers. Michele Bottiglieri ponders the avenues available for small-scale shipping firms to secure financial backing for impending ventures. Michele Bottiglieri laments that Michele Bottiglieri Armatore’s (MBA) stature renders the company ineligible for listing, leaving Michele Bottiglieri Armatore (MBA) reliant on banks that have since abandoned the maritime domain. Thus, Michele Bottiglieri harbour a sombre outlook for the future, struggling to envision a pathway to secure capital for fleet expansion. Italian shipowner and operator Michele Bottiglieri Armatore (MBA) harbors aspirations to diversify into the liquid bulk domain. Michele Bottiglieri has expressed a fervent interest in tankers, but the escalating valuation of tankers presents a barrier. Candidly, Michele Bottiglieri acknowledges that in the foreseeable future, Michele Bottiglieri remains skeptical about augmenting the company’s fleet, even if certain vessels appear economically viable. Offering a prognosis on the trajectory of the dry bulk market, Michele Bottiglieri opines that his perspective on bulk carrier rates is rather bearish. A stable market resurgence, Michele Bottiglieri believes that, remains a year away at least. China’s diminishing coal imports, a key player in the dry bulk sector, coupled with a surfeit of tonnage, have culminated in a tempestuous scenario. Michele Bottiglieri concludes that extricating oneself from this quagmire hinges on a triad: “A resurgence in maritime transport demand, a moratorium on new vessel orders, and the aggressive decommissioning of existing bulk carriers.”
8-July-2015
Lubeck-based shipowner and operator Oldendorff Carriers has expanded its charter portfolio by taking two panamax bulk carriers on six- and seven-month time charters at rates that are slightly higher than those of the previous chartered-in ships they will replace, indicating steady demand and improving sentiment in the panamax bulk carrier market. The panamax bulk carrier MV Navios Amitie (75K DWT, built 2005), owned by Navios Maritime, has been chartered by German shipowner and operator Oldendorff Carriers for a six-month period at $7,500 per day. Additionally, Kuang Ming Shipping Corp., the dry bulk shipping arm of Taiwan-based shipowner and operator Yang Ming Marine Transport, has concluded a seven-month charter agreement for its panamax bulk carrier MV KM Mt Jade (81K DWT, built 2008) at a rate of $8,000 per day with Oldendorff Carriers. The charter underscores Kuang Ming Shipping Corp.’s long-standing reputation as a dependable and quality-oriented partner among global charterers and its consistent ability to position its ships in profitable employment despite fluctuating market conditions. Founded in 1990, Kuang Ming Shipping Corp. operates as the dedicated dry bulk subsidiary of Taiwan-based shipowner and operator Yang Ming Marine Transport. Initially established as a booking and agency branch serving the container segment of Yang Ming Marine Transport, Kuang Ming Shipping Corp. strategically transitioned into the dry bulk sector in 2008 to capitalize on Taiwan’s growing trade in energy and industrial commodities. Since then, it has grown into one of Taiwan’s most dynamic dry bulk operators, managing a diversified fleet of around 19 bulk carriers ranging from handymax to supramax, kamsarmax, and capesize bulk carriers. The fleet is employed worldwide, serving charterers and commodity traders across Asia, the Middle East, and the Atlantic Basin. The panamax bulk carrier MV KM Mt Jade is part of Kuang Ming Shipping Corp.’s middle-range fleet, which forms a key pillar of its trading flexibility and commercial strategy, enabling it to operate efficiently across major grain, coal, and ore routes. Kuang Ming Shipping Corp. has built a strong reputation for reliability, technical excellence, and safety. Under the leadership of Chairman Tsai Ming-Hsu, the shipowner has placed a heavy focus on operational efficiency, environmental sustainability, and technological innovation. Its ships are designed to comply with the latest IMO (International Maritime Organization) standards, including EEDI (Energy Efficiency Design Index) and CII (Carbon Intensity Indicator) requirements, ensuring a reduced environmental footprint and improved energy efficiency. The shipowner continues to invest in digital fleet management tools, performance monitoring systems, and predictive maintenance technologies that allow for real-time optimization of voyage routes and fuel consumption. In addition to its technological advancements, Kuang Ming Shipping Corp. maintains a culture of operational discipline and risk management. Its crews undergo rigorous safety and environmental training, and the shipowner regularly upgrades its onboard equipment to meet modern safety standards. This combination of disciplined operations and innovation has positioned Kuang Ming Shipping Corp. as a trusted name among global charterers such as Oldendorff Carriers, reflecting the shipowner’s ability to uphold high performance standards while maintaining competitive operating costs. Kuang Ming Shipping Corp.’s success in securing time charters with first-tier charterers such as Oldendorff Carriers demonstrates not only its commercial acumen but also the enduring strength of Taiwan’s dry bulk shipping industry. Supported by the global infrastructure, financial backing, and managerial expertise of Taiwan-based shipowner and operator Yang Ming Marine Transport, Kuang Ming Shipping Corp. continues to expand its influence in the international market. With its steady fleet renewal program, commitment to sustainability, and focus on customer satisfaction, Kuang Ming Shipping Corp. is reinforcing its status as one of Asia’s most forward-thinking dry bulk shipowners, blending Taiwanese maritime heritage with a modern, efficiency-driven operational philosophy that ensures long-term competitiveness in an evolving global trade landscape.
8-July-2015
Oldendorff Carriers, headquartered in Germany, has revitalized its fleet by securing timecharters for two panamax bulk carriers, each set for durations of six and seven months and at rates surpassing those of their predecessors. The MV Navios Amitie, a 75K dwt vessel constructed in 2005 and under the ownership of Navios Maritime, has been leased to Oldendorff Carriers for a six-month period at a daily rate of $7,500. Concurrently, Kuang Ming Shipping has agreed to charter its 81K dwt kamsarmax bulk carrier, the MV KM Mt Jade, built in 2008, to Oldendorff Carriers for a seven-month term at $8,000 per day. These new arrangements mark a rate increase from the $6,750 daily rate Oldendorff was paying for the MV Maritsa, a 76,000 dwt panamax bulk carrier built in 2005 by Safe Bulkers, which has just completed its five-month charter. Moreover, the MV Omicron Nikos, another panamax bulk carrier with a 75K dwt, built in 2003 and owned by Greece’s Omicron Ship Management, concluded its four-month timecharter with Oldendorff on June 8, with the carrier initially paying $5,150 daily, followed by $7,150 for the remainder of the charter.