Ningbobo Xinle Shipbuilding has signed a contract with Spanish owner Elcano for the construction of two 13,000 dwt chemical tankers, according to SinoShip News..
The first ship is expected to be delivered in the second half of 2016.
Meanwhile, Nordic American Tankers (NAT ) announced that it has taken delivery of its 22nd Suezmax- ‘Nordic Skier’, built in 2005.
She is the second of two Suezmaxes purchased by NAT recently.
In the charter market, Tesoro was said to have fixed the 2006-built MR ‘Jurkalne’ for 12 months at $14,750 per day with an option to extend for another 12 months at $15,500 per day.
In addition, the US concern was said to have fixed the 2006-built VLCC ‘Kamakshi Prem’ for two years at $26,000 per day. Teekay was also thought to have fixed the 2010-built Indian controlled Aframax ‘Swarna Kamal’ for 12 months at $15,000 per day with an option for a further 12 months at $16,250 per day.
Turning to the S&P sector, Ultranav was thought to have splashed out $27.5 mill for 2006-built Panamax ‘Antipolis’, while US interests were said to have purchased the 2006-built 40,157 dwt ‘Montenero’ for $18.1 mill.
What was described as a firm price, Polembros was reported to have paid $65 mill for the ice class 2013-built Suezmax ‘Cap Isabella’.
Meanwhile, Malaysian CIMBB Equities Research said MISC planned to sell another eight of its chemical tankers in the third and fourth quarters of 2014 to significantly reduce its exposure to the chemical tanker market to just its 10 chartered-in ships.
It reportedly said on Thursday, the proposed sale of the eight tankers excluded the three owned chemical tankers sold in 2Q14 and seven that were disposed in 4Q13 and 1Q14.
“As such, MISC would significantly reduce its exposure to the chemical tanker segment to just its 10 chartered-in ships.
“This underpins our forecast for a major reduction in the losses of this division, from RM42 mill in FY13, to RM28 mill FY14 and then dropping further to an RM 11mil loss in FY15,” the research consultancy said.