Modern ultramaxes are currently the most appealing type of bulk carrier, based on the latest deals, in which the Greek shipowners dominate.
According to data from domestic shipping companies, a total of 113 ultramaxes/supramaxes have changed hands on the secondary market so far in 2024 compared to a total of 229 in 2023.
Ultramaxes are by far the second most popular type of bulker in sales this year followed by handysize bulkers, with a total of 71 deals.
This trend was also observed in the last week. Specifically, the shipping brokerage George Moundreas & Company S.A. registered between May 4-10 a total of 11 bulk carrier purchase and sale agreements. Almost half of them, five in total, involved supramaxes/ultramaxes.
During the specific period, freight brokerage Golden Destiny recorded a total of seven truck deals, three of which were in the supramaxes/ultramaxes category.
Finally, British shipping broker Hartland Shipping Services reported four completed deals, all for supramax/ultramax vessels.
Recent deals
In one of the biggest sales deals of the last week, the buyer of the two ultramaxes recently sold en bloc (together) by Target Marine, for a total of 54 million dollars, became known.
These are Syros Island (built 2015) and Andros Island (built 2016). In this way, maritime data platforms already detect in the fleet of Tri Bulk Shipping, based in Vouliagmeni, the first with the name Astro Vega and soon the second one is expected to follow. Tri Bulk has been particularly active in recent years in the secondary market of bulk carriers.
According to “Naftemporiki” estimates, from the second half of 2023 to date, the shipping company has spent more than 110 million on four cargo ships, including the last two of Target Marine.
In another interesting deal, charter house WeberSeas reported that a modern Japanese-built ultramax (2017) sold for close to 33 million dollars.
