Dry bulk ship purchases are witnessing a resurgence, as indicated by the latest report from shipbroker Xclusiv. Activity has notably intensified in the medium and small size sectors. In the Kamsarmax category, Greek buyers have successfully acquired the “AOM Sophie II,” an 82,000 dwt vessel built in 2020 at Sanoyas, for a price in the low to mid USD 31 million range. Additionally, the “Shun Fu Da,” also 82K but built in 2006, was sold to Indian buyers for USD 11.4 million.
In the Panamax segment, the “Ivestos 7,” a 75,000 dwt tanker from 2008, found new ownership for just over USD 9 million. The Ultramax segment also saw noteworthy transactions, with the “CMB Rubens,” a 64K built in 2018, changing hands for USD 27.5 million. Meanwhile, the Supramax “Star Nighthawk,” carrying a scrubber, was sold for USD 12.5 million. In the Handysize market, Greek buyers took ownership of the “Sider Olympia,” 38,000 dwt from 2013, for a price exceeding USD 15 million, while the “Pelagiani,” a 35,000 dwt vessel from 2004, was sold for USD 7.8 million.
In contrast, tanker sales and purchase activity remained relatively subdued, with only three transactions reported. The MR2 vessels “CL Fugou” and “CL Huaiyang,” both 50K from 2017, sold for USD 30.8 million each. Additionally, the smaller tanker “Ginga Hawk,” a 20K built in 2000, was sold for USD 6.9 million. On the newbuilding front, Banchero Costa reported that Chinese yard Hengli H.I.
secured an order for two 95,500 dwt bulk carriers, slated for delivery in late 2027 and mid-2028. Latsco from the UK ordered a 114,900 dwt LR2 tanker at USD 69.8 million, expected to be delivered in mid-2027. Furthermore, Polembros Shipping acquired four 115,000 dwt LR2 vessels from Zhoushan Changhong, with deliveries scheduled between September 2026 and early 2028. In the container sector, Hai An Transport from Vietnam ordered a feeder vessel with a capacity of 3,000 teu for USD 46 million, also due for mid-2027 delivery.