Tanker Newbuilds Spark Biggest Interest in Week Two

zoom The newbuilding market for the second week of January, 2015  has seen some signs of recovery especially in the tanker market, according to Bulkers Shipbroking Co. The week was marked with five newbuilding orders all placed with Asian shipbuilders. Demand  for construction of tankers was prevalent, with orders for up to 10 units. Scorpio placed an order for four firm and two optional 115,000 DWT tankers at Korean yard Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering (DSME). The tankers are expected to deliver in 2016. Nordic American Tankers (NAT) has ordered 158,000 DWT tanker duo from Sungdong for  USD 65 million scheduled for delivery in 2017. The third buyer was Frontline, which placed orders for two 111,000 DWT tankers with New Times Shipbuilding also expected to delivery in 2016. The week saw only one bulk carrier order from Investment Group Denmark A/S (Investeringsgruppen), the shipbrokers data revealed. The 38,000 DWT bulker was ordered from Imabari Shipbuilding for  USD 25 million with expected delivery in 2017. Finally, one order was placed for a 10,000 TEU containership by Seaspan. The containership, worth USD 85 million, is going to be built by Chinas shipbuilder Jiangsu New Yangzi Shipbuilding and is slated for delivery in 2016. Seven newbuild containerships are reported to had been delivered since the beginning of 2015. In the second-hand market, the container sale and purchase market returned to full swing this week, with a number of vessels changing hands, according to Braemar ACM Shipbrokings data. The 2,500 TEU and Panamax sectors saw the majority of the activity. It has been reported that three Japanese owned 2004 built Panamax units have been tied up at levels as high as USD 15.6Mn/ship, with short-term charter back to the sellers. In the smaller sizes, a 2001 built geared 2,500TEU vessel is rumoured to have been sold for $10.45Mn, however this sale has not yet been confirmed, the shipbroker said. In the purchase of the MV MSC Cristina (13,100TEU built 2011 Hyundai) by Navios Maritime for USD 147.8Mn was reported. This unit has a charter attached for 12 year period at USD60,275/day net, Braemar said. A total of fifteen 18,000 TEU containerships have been reported to had been sold in the last 30 days. World Maritime News Staff