Capesize Bulk Carrier News

An LNG-fueled capesize bulk carrier, ordered by NYK and to be deployed to transport iron ore and coal from Australia to Japan under a long-term consecutive voyage charter contract with JFE Steel Corporation (JFE), has been delivered.The naming ceremony for the vessel was held on January 30, 2024, at Japan Marine United Corporation's Tsu Shipyard in Mie Prefecture.The vessel is the first capesize LNG-fueled bulk carrier to be built at a shipyard in Japan, according to an NYK research.The vessel was named ‘SG Ocean’ to reflect the ‘SG’ of NYK's ‘Sail GREEN’ brand…

Greek shipowner the Angelicoussis Group announced its dry bulk division has taken delivery of its first dual-fuel Capesize bulk carrier.Ubuntu Unity was officially handed over to its Maran Dry Management (MDM) from Chinese shipbuilder Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding Co., Ltd. (SWS) on February 28, 2023.The newbuild is 299.9 meters long with a 47.5-meter beam and cargo capacity of about 190,000 metric tons. It is classed by DNV and flies the Greek flag.A sister vessel, Ubuntu Community, is scheduled to be delivered to MDM from SWS in the coming months.

Japanese shipping company Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. (MOL) and Brazilian headquartered mining company Vale are teaming up to retrofit an in-service bulk carrier with rotor sail auxiliary wind propulsion to help reduce fuel burn and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.The 200,000-ton class Capesize bulk carrier, currently employed under a mid-term contract for transportation of iron ore for Vale, will be fitted with a pair of 35- by 5-meter rotor sails produced by Finland's Norsepower.

Japan's NYK is set to order two LNG-fueled large coal carriers from Oshima Shipbuilding Co., Ltd. The vessels are scheduled to be delivered in 2025."This ship order is a part of a bulk carrier fleet development aimed at achieving net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the NYK Group's oceangoing businesses by 2050," NYK said.NYK says that compared to conventional heavy oil-fueled ships, the two new ships will emit zero sulfur oxides (SOx), 80% less nitrogen oxides (NOx), and 30% less carbon dioxide (CO2).

Dry bulk shipping company Diana Shipping Inc. announced that it has entered into a sale and leaseback agreement with an unaffiliated Japanese third party for the newbuild Capesize bulk carrier Florida.Diana, which entered into an agreement to purchase the 181,500 dwt bulker in December 2021, said it expects to take delivery of the Japenese newbuild on March 29.Upon completion, the company’s gross proceeds in connection with the sale and leaseback transaction will be $50.0 million, Diana said. As part of the agreement, the company will bareboat charter-in the vessel for a period of ten years and have purchase options beginning at the end of the third year of the agreement.

Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha (NYK), MTI Co., Ltd. (MTI) and Elomatic have completed the development of a concept design for an ammonia-fuel ready LNG-fueled vessel (ARLFV) for the transition to a future marine fuel.As the maritime world digests a raft of new legislation leading toward decarbonization, a main concern is the ability to leverage the full value of ships built today in a fast evolving environment. In short, flexibility in design, particularly when it comes to fuel flexibility…

Dry bulk shipping company Safe Bulkers announced it has entered into an agreement to acquire a secondhand Capesize bulk carrier for $33.8 million.The 181,000 dwt vessel was built in Japan in 2014. It will be renamed Maria and delivered to Safe Bulkers within February 2022. Safe Bulkers did not name the seller.Dr. Loukas Barmparis, Safe Bulkers president, said, “This will be our sixth Cape and the 40th vessel in our fleet. MV Maria is sister vessel to our recently acquired MV Stelios Y and was bought, at what we believe to be a competitive price, capitalizing on the Capesize market seasonal weakness.”New York-listed Safe Bulkers said it will finance the purchase from its cash reserves.

Seanergy Maritime Holdings Corp. has taken delivery of the M/V Friendship bulk carrier.The vessel is a 176,952 dwt Capesize bulk carrier, built in 2009 by Namura Shipbuilding Co., Ltd. in Japan. "The M/V Friendship is the fifth Capesize delivery that Seanergy has successfully completed in 2021 to date," the company said.Seanergy also said that the has been fixed on a time charter with Japan's NYK Line, which is an existing charterer of Seanergy. The charter is expected to commence immediately…

Japanese steelmaker JFE Steel has signed long-charters shipping firms NYK Line, Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha and Mitsui O.S.K. Lines to charter three 210,000-ton LNG-fueled bulk carriers for transporting iron ore and coal from overseas locations to JFE Steel’s steelworks in Japan. JFE Steel said the charters would make it the first company in Japan to deploy LNG-fueled ships in the 210,000-ton class, and said the move would help it cut emissions.The ships, which have been designed by Nihon Shipyard and will be built by Japan Marine United and Imabari Shipbuilding…

German shipping company Oldendorff Carriers said on Tuesday that earlier this year it ordered a Capesize bulk carrier newbuild at Namura Shipbuilding in Japan and purchased a trio of secondhand Post-panamax bulkers from three Japanese owners.The 182,000 tdw eco Capesize newbuild is due for delivery during the fourth quarter of 2022. It features a Mitsui-MAN B&W 6G70ME-C9.5(EGRBP) NOX Tier III main engine and a new hull form, which results in a very low fuel consumption.

Diana Shipping, a dry bulk shipping company, has signed an agreement to sell the 2001-built Panamax dry bulk vessel “Oceanis” to an unnamed buyer. Separately, the company has secured a charter for its Capesize bulk carrier "New York."The company said Friday that the Oceanis vessel would be delivered to the buyer by April 16, 2021, at the latest, for a sale price of US$5.75 million before commissions.Separately, Diana Shipping has entered into a time charter contract with EGPN Bulk Carrier Co., Hong Kong, for one of its Capesize dry bulk vessels, the m/v New York. The gross charter rate is US$14,000 per day, minus a 5% commission paid to third parties, for a period until minimum April 16, 2022, up to maximum June 30, 2022.

A project to produce a novel emissions-slashing hydrogen passenger ferry has been granted €8 million ($9.4 million) in European funding as the Norwegian government announces strengthened focus on development and commercialization of hydrogen as a carbon-neutral fuel.The HySHIP project involves 14 European partners collaborating on the design and construction of a new ro-ro demonstration vessel running on liquid green hydrogen (LH2), as well as the establishment of a viable LH2 supply chain and bunkering platform.

The oceangoing vessel operator Capital Ship Management Corp (CSMC) used SKF equipment to control maintenance costs and avoid breakdowns.SKF’s marine condition monitoring kit is helping a leading ship operator to manage costs and prevent equipment failure across its fleet, said a press release.CSMC has been investigating condition monitoring strategies since 2006, in order to reduce the maintenance costs and minimize the unexpected machinery & equipment breakdown.Together with SKF, Capital came up with an effective strategy by utilizing a new handheld device, launched recently by SKF; the SKF Quick Collect. The company has implemented the solution across a fleet of 30 vessels, with a plan to extend the program for the whole fleet of 56 vessels.

Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) has announced that it recently received the Approval in Principle (AiP) for the design of a capesize bulk carrier with type C LNG fuel tank made of POSCO’s high manganese steel and fuel gas supply system from DNV GL and Liberian International Ship & Corporate Registry (Liberian Registry).The hand-over ceremony was held at HHI’s Seoul office and attended by senior officials from HHI, POSCO, DNV GL and Liberian Registry, including Jae-eul Kim, Chief Technology Officer(CTO) at HHI…

Greek shipping company Capital Product Partners L.P. (CPLP) announced that its vessel, M/V ‘Agamemnon’ commenced new long-term time charter with Mediterranean Shipping Company Co. S.A.The 108,892 dwt / 8,266 TEU container carrier Agamemnon was built in built 2007 in Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering Co., Ltd., South Korea, said a press note from the shipping company engaged in the seaborne transportation of a wide range of cargoes, including dry cargo and containerized goods.The vessel is successfully completed the installation of a SOx scrubber system and ballast water treatment system and passing of its special survey.The charter is set to expire at the earliest in February 2024.CPLP currently owns 11 vessels…

Piracy increased on the world’s seas in 2018, with a marked rise in attacks against ships and crews around West Africa, the International Chamber of Commerce’s International Maritime Bureau’s (IMB) latest annual piracy report reveals.Worldwide, the IMB Piracy Reporting Centre (PRC) recorded 201 incidents of maritime piracy and armed robbery in 2018, up from 180 in 2017.The Gulf of Guinea remains increasingly dangerous for seafarers. Reports of attacks in waters between the Ivory Coast and the Democratic Republic of Congo more than doubled in 2018, accounting for all six hijackings worldwide, 13 of the 18 ships fired upon, 130 of the 141 hostages taken globally, and 78 of 83 seafarers kidnapped for ransom.The region saw a significant new spike in violence in the last quarter of 2018.

Capital Product Partners has announced that its Board of Directors has approved the acquisition of the eco-type crude tanker ‘Aristaios' (112,800 dwt, Ice Class 1C, built 2017, Daehan Shipbuilding, S. Korea) for a total consideration of $52.5 million from the Partnership's sponsor, Capital Maritime & Trading. The M/T ‘Aristaios' is currently employed under a time charter to Tesoro Far East Maritime Company (‘Tesoro') at a gross daily rate of $26,400. The Tesoro charter commenced in January 2017 with duration of five years +/- 45 days. The Partnership intends to fund the acquisition through available cash in the amount of $24.2 million…

The potential for drones to be used for inspections is not new, notes Bureau Veritas, but to date trials have not focused on specific survey requirements for ship structures in enclosed spaces; the RECOMMS project will do just that. Bureau Veritas has joined RECOMMS (Remote Evaluation of Coatings / Corrosion on Offshore Machinery and Marine Structures / Ships), a joint investment project (JIP), to develop drones with the capability to inspect steel structures in enclosed spaces.

Ballast water treatment system (BWTS) manufacturer Envirocleanse said it recently signed an Agreement with CMB/Bocimar to install the patented inTank BWTS aboard the Capesize bulk carrier, Mineral New York. The initial installation will be designed as a pilot study to reflect much of CMB's fleet and will include the treatment of a cargo hold being used in part as a ballast tank. Envirocleanse is currently undergoing both land-based and shipboard testing aboard the USTS Golden Bear with DNV-GL as the independent laboratory.

Capital Product Partners, an international diversified shipping company, announced that it has secured new time charter employment for three Medium Range (MR) Product Tankers. The M/T 'Amadeus' (50,108 dwt, IMO II/III Eco Chemical/Product Tanker built 2015, Samsung Heavy Industries (Nigbo) secured employment with Repsol Trading for one year (+/- 30 days) at a gross daily rate of $14,500. The charterer has the option to extend the time charter for an additional year (+/-30 days) at a gross daily rate of $14,750. The new charter will commence in October 2017. The M/T 'Aktoras' (36,759 IMO II/III Chemical Product Tanker built 2006 Hyundai Mipo Dockyard…

Owner and operator of container and dry bulk vessels Navios Maritime Partners L.P. said it has taken delivery of a secondhand Capesize bulk carrier vessel.   The 180,310 dwt ship, Navios Beaufiks, was built in 2004 in Japan, and delivered on December 30, 2016.

The Great Eastern Shipping Company Limited (G E Shipping) signed a contract to buy a Medium Range Product Tanker of about 48,539 dwt. The 2005 Japanese built vessel is expected to join the Company’s fleet in Q2 FY17. The Company’s current fleet stands at 33 vessels, comprising 23 tankers (7 crude carriers, 14 product tankers, 2 LPG carrier) and 10 dry bulk carriers (5 Kamsarmax, 5 Supramax) with an average age of 9.97 years aggregating 2.48 mn dwt. Additionally, the company has 3 Newbuilding Kamsarmaxes and 1 secondhand Capesize Bulk Carrier on order.

The 127,500dwt Solitaire has completed some of the most challenging projects in which heavy pipe has been laid in very deep waters. Originally built in Japan as a mini-Capesize bulk carrier, the Lloyd’s Register-classed vessel was converted to lay pipe in 1998. She has full dynamic positioning and can carry a pipe payload of 22,000 metric tons. Recently, however, the vessel’s operator Allseas decided to repair parts of the 550m2 tank top in hold number 6 which had corroded. After a detailed assessment was carried out, Allseas opted for SPS technology instead of steel renewal.