The rapidly improving long-term prospects of the shipping markets has prompted more owners to place newbuilding orders. In its latest weekly report, shipbroker Allied Shipbroking said that “the different outlook that has been noted since the beginning of the year between the dry bulk and tanker sectors was apparent once again in the newbuilding market. The robust earnings, despite the correction noted the last few weeks, and the solid sentiment in the dry bulk segment, have led to another series of newbuilding orders taking place during the past week. The rising newbuilding prices though and the fragile economic environment has retained newbuilding activity at levels that are not considered excessive so far. However, once the spread between newbuilding and second-hand asset prices starts to decline, it is likely that we will see increased interest emerge. In the tanker sector, fundamentals are in a completely opposite trajectory with poor sentiment and a market imbalance dominating the market. Therefore, the lack of confidence has limited investment appetite in the year so far and this past week was no exception. With shipbuilders though keeping active in other sectors and steel prices holding high, newbuilding prices are not likely to post any major downward revisions, trimming interest even further. Given that a freight market recovery has not yet emerged, it is unlikely for this current trend to shift in the short-term”.

In a separate note, shipbroker Banchero Costa said that “in the container market, MPC Capital has agreed with Hanjin for an order of four plus optional two 5,300 teu feeders at Hanjin with deliveries during 2023.

Total cost (including the two optional units) to be $390 mln. More options were exercised during the week, Briese confirmed option for two additional 1,930 teu feeders at Huangpu Wenchong basis delivery during 2024 and five more 7,000 teu wide beam feeders were added by Seaspan at Jiangsu New Yangzjiang absis delivery end 2023, price around $105 mln each. In the dry bulk segment. New Dayang received orders for 4x Ultramax (abt 63,000) from Ciner Shipping basis delivery 2024/2025 . In Japan it was reported Fednav committed 10 lakers handy bc (34,500 dwt; Tier III) to be delivered during 2023-2024 at Oshima”.

Meanwhile, activity in high in the S&P market as well. Allied commented this week that “on the dry bulk side, the modest flow in sales continued for yet another week. Notwithstanding this, we see a slight slowdown in activity levels during the past few weeks or so. Whether there is a similar correction in buying appetite, it is yet to be seen. It seems as though, many interested parties are in a catchup phase, given the upward continuation in asset price levels, causing many to be seemingly unwilling to rush into any quick deal for the time being.

On the tanker side, it was another mediocre week for the SnP market, given the limited number of fresh transactions taking place. Rather inline with previous week, the MRs are the only segment were we can expect a more stable stance in the near term (at least). Moreover, thinking about the stagnant bearish mode from the side of earnings, it is only natural that the sales market will be more prone to “quiet” periods in terms of volume, with some sparks in buying appetite in-between”.

Finally, Banchero Costa concluded that “the dry cargo market continues to be the most active in terms of transaction volume. The sale of the Kamsarmax Vijayanagar 82,000 dwt Blt 2010 Tsuneishi Tadotsu (JPN) at $24.2 mln has been reported. 2 sister vessels Ultramaxes Nautica Runa and Lucia 63,000 dwt Blt 2015/2016 Jiangsu reported sold enbloc at $55 mln”. “On the tanker market, PT Samudera (Indonesians) are the buyers for Chemical Tanker owned by FSL, FSL London 19,000 dwt Blt 2006 Usuki, which is valued at USD 10.2 mln based on a three-year t/c at $12.000/d”, the shipbroker concluded.
Nikos Roussanoglou, Hellenic Shipping News Worldwide