Transfield News

While panamax cargo Inquiries from the U.S. Gulf have increased, the additional business was not expected to have much effect on freight rates, brokers said on Tuesday. Fixtures for the benchmark U.S. Gulf to Japan heavy grain route were noted in the $22 per ton region last week, but shipbrokers now suggest that a rate within $21 per ton is more likely. Evidence for this is seen in the latest U.S. Gulf to Taiwan fixture, for which charterers were reported to have paid $21 per ton of heavy grain on a fixture that specified loading between December 28 and January 8 for a 56,000-ton cargo. As the U.S. Gulf to Japan market tends to follow a $.50 premium basis shipments destined for Taiwan…

Quintana Maritime Limited has agreed to acquire a newbuilding Capesize bulk carrier of 180,000 deadweight tons (dwt). The vessel will be constructed by Imabari Shipbuilding Co., Ltd., the largest shipyard in Japan, with expected delivery during the fourth quarter of 2008. The expected total cost at delivery, including contract costs and financing costs, will approximate $93 million. Quintana Maritime will make a down payment of $9.2 million in early May, followed by another installment of $9.2 million six months later. A further amount of approximately $28 million will be paid in June 2008 with the remaining balance of $46.6 million due at delivery of the vessel.

Quintana Maritime Limited took delivery of Iron Miner, a newbuilding Capesize bulk carrier of 177,000 deadweight tons (dwt) from Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding Co., a Capesize specialist yard in China. As previously announced the purchase price of the vessel is approximately $92.5 million and has been funded with borrowings under its credit facility and cash on hand, including from the proceeds from the exercise of warrants. Iron Miner is employed under a five-year time charter at a net daily rate of $40,000 with Transfield, a major operator in the Capesize sector. With the delivery of the Iron Miner, the Company has secured approximately 96.2% of its net operating days under time charter contracts for 2007 and 80.9% for 2008…

Panamax freight orders picked up for Atlantic tonnage on Tuesday while Pacific rates continued to hold strong, shipbrokers said. In the short-period market, the 75,000 dwt newbuilding APJ Jit was chartered for June 20-25 South Korea delivery, booked for 3-5 months trading at a rate of $9,750 daily, they said. Brokers reported the chartering of North Friendship, a 1999-built 74,732 dwt panamax, was chartered for end-June U.S. Gulf delivery. The timecharter included a trip to Indonesia at a rate of $11,250 daily plus a $225,000 ballast bonus, they said. Hanjin was said to have chartered the 1989-built 68,779 dwt Achilles for early July U.S. Gulf delivery and the panamax is set for a trip to the Far East at a rate of $11,100 daily plus a $210,000 ballast bonus.