Dry Bulk Carrier News

Oslo-based dry bulk operator Western Bulk has re-entered ship ownership after acquiring a minority stake in a Kamsarmax vessel alongside a group of Norwegian partners, the company said on Tuesday.Western Bulk, together with A/S J. Ludwig Mowinckels Rederi, NRP Asset Management-managed Premium Maritime Fund 2024, and Pactum, has acquired the dry bulk carrier CSSC Shi Jia Zhuang, which will be renamed Western Egda.The 2020-built, eco-design Kamsarmax was constructed in China and has recently completed its five-year special survey.

Marlink, a specialist in managed services for business-critical ICT solutions, has deployed its Sealink NextGen hybrid network and cyber security solutions across 50 vessels operated by Polish dry bulk carrier Polsteam.The upgrade forms part of Marlink’s ‘possibility platform’ and is designed to support Polsteam’s transition to digitalized shipping operations, enhancing operational safety and efficiency while improving crew connectivity.Under the agreement, Marlink will integrate low Earth orbit (LEO) Starlink internet with traditional VSAT services, managed through its XChange platform.

Ulsan Port Authority (UPA) has completed Korea’s first methanol bunkering for a dual-fuel bulk carrier at Ulsan Port.The STS for a bulk carrier, conducted on September 28, 2025, follows Ulsan Port’s world-first successful methanol bunkering demonstrations for container ships (PTS/STS) in 2023-2024.With the latest achievement, Ulsan Port has expanded its bunkering track record from container ships to bulk carriers.The operation was conducted for Green Future, a methanol dual-fuel bulk carrier chartered by NYK Bulk & Projects Carriers…

Inmarsat Maritime, a Viasat company, has signed an agreement with Pacific Basin Shipping Limited, one of the leading dry bulk carrier owners, to install NexusWave fully managed bonded connectivity service on board an initial five ships.Hong Kong-based Pacific Basin is prioritizing enhancements to both crew and business communications aboard its growing fleet of geared Handysize and Supramax bulk carriers, as part of a connectivity and digitalization strategy that also supports fuel efficiency and emissions reporting.Through its unique network bonding technology…

“Between January and April 2025, dry bulk ship recycling has fallen 24% y/y, reaching a 17-year low despite a 35% y/y drop in the Baltic Dry Index (BDI). While weaker freight rates typically encourage the recycling of older and less profitable ships, high uncertainty over the demand outlook could be delaying recycling decisions,” says Filipe Gouveia, Shipping Analysis Manager at BIMCO.Dry bulk ship recycling has been slow since the first quarter of 2021 when freight rates significantly strengthened due to a pickup in demand and congestion.

Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) has completed the acquisition of 72% shares in Gearbulk, growing its fleet of dry bulk carriers to 338 vessels.The completion of acquisition means Gearbulk is now MOL’s consolidated subsidiary.Gearbulk has a proven track record of growth through the transport of semi-finished products such as pulp. MOL has had a 34-year partnership with Gearbulk since its equity participation in 1991.With the consolidation, the MOL Group's fleet of dry bulk carriers will total 338 vessels…

Capacity reduction on the Panama Canal have hurt dry bulk market, with dry bulk carrier transits down significantly (down 74% in the Q1 '24 vs. '23, with sailing distances up 31% and cargo volume down 25% year on year, according to BIMCO shipping analyst Filipe Gouveia.Low water levels in lake Gatun have caused restrictions in the number of transits through the Panama Canal at a maximum draft level of 13.4m (44 ft). Under typical conditions, between 34 and 38 ships transit the canal per day at draught levels of 15.2m (50 feet). At the start of the year, only 22 daily transits were allowed.

Egypt's Suez Canal Authority said on Monday it had conducted repair work on a missile-hit Greek dry-bulk carrier, highlighting its readiness to restore damaged ships passing through the Red Sea.The Malta-flagged, Greek-owned vessel Zografia had berthed at a floating dock of the authority-affiliated Suez Shipyard Company for repairs after the ship's hull and some components sustained external and internal damage in a Jan. 16 attack by Yemeni Houthi forces.The vessel was sailing…

Yemen's Houthi movement will expand its targets in the Red Sea region to include U.S. ships, an official from the Iran-allied group said on Monday, as it vowed to keep up attacks after U.S. and British strikes on its sites in Yemen.Attacks by the Houthis on ships in area since November have impacted companies and alarmed major powers in an escalation of Israel's more than three-month war with Hamas militants in Gaza. The group says it is acting in solidarity with Palestinians.British…

Ecochlor, Inc. has signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) with Diana Shipping Services and carbon capture and storage (CCS) specialist, Sinotech CCS for the installation of a Sinotech scrubber and CCS system onboard one of Diana Shipping’s capesize dry bulk carrier, the MV G.P. Zafirakis.This system is designed to capture 25% of the CO2 emitted within the exhaust gas and temporarily storing it onboard in liquified form (LCO2). Sinotech will provide the expertise for a full feasibility study…

Singapore-based Berge Bulk has launched a ship fitted with steel-and-composite sails to cut fuel consumption and carbon dioxide emissions, with an eye to converting more vessels that ply routes with favourable wind conditions.The dry bulk carrier Berge Olympus, equipped with four sails known as WindWings, is chartered by mining giant Vale and will sail between Brazil and China, Berge said on Tuesday.The sails will save up to 20% fuel or six tons per day on an average worldwide…

Carbon capture, energy efficiency and green fuels are the roadmap to net zero by 2050. That’s the pathway outlined by the 2023 Outlook, Beyond the Horizon: View of the Emerging Value Chains, the latest industry-leading research from ABS into shipping’s progress on the green energy transition.Released at the ABS Sustainability Summit during London International Shipping Week, the report examines in depth the carbon, ammonia and hydrogen value chains. It concludes that the industry will need to accelerate investment in carbon capture technology…

On January 7, 2021, the dry bulk carrier Ocean Princess struck the uncrewed/out-of-service oil and gas production platform SP-83A while operating 24 miles south of Pilottown, Louisiana. Now, some 19 months later,  the National Transportation Safety Board has released an investigation report which showed that poor bridge resource management and a charting error led to the bulk carrier striking the oil and gas production platform.The 24-person crew of the Ocean Princess was drifting overnight in the Gulf of Mexico before going to New Orleans to load a cargo of grain. The master planned to drift throughout the night with the engine on 15-minute standby, keeping clear of traffic and platforms, NTSB said.Area where the Ocean Princess contacted platform SP-83A, as indicated by a red X.

Kongsberg Maritime (KM) and dry bulk owner Berge Bulk signed memorandum of understanding to jointly develop and advance the deployment of decarbonization technologies onboard dry bulk cargo vessels.Berge Bulk aims to be carbon-neutral by 2025, and to have a zero-carbon ocean-going dry bulk carrier by 2030. There are two elements of the joint development project. The first will be to evaluate and test emerging decarbonization technologies for use in the maritime sector. The second…

Shipping company Castor Maritime on Monday announced it has lined up time charter contracts for three of its bulk carriers. The Magic Moon, a 2005 built Panamax dry bulk carrier, has been fixed on a time charter contract at a gross daily charter rate of $25,500. The charter commenced on April 7, 2022, and has a duration of about 25 days.The Magic Rainbow, a 2007 built Panamax dry bulk carrier, has been fixed on a time charter contract at a gross daily charter rate of $16,500. The charter commenced on April 12, 2022, and has a duration of about 60 days.The Magic Horizon, a 2010 built Panamax dry bulk carrier, has been fixed on a time charter contract at a gross daily charter rate of $17,500. The charter commenced on April 15, 2022, and has a duration of about 55 days.

Shipping company Castor Maritime Inc. announced it has secured charter agreements for several of its bulk carriers. The Magic Moon, a 2005 built Panamax dry bulk carrier, has been fixed on a time charter contract at a gross daily charter rate of $25,000. The charter commenced on March 6, 2022, and has a minimum duration of about 30 days.The Magic Argo, a 2009 built Kamsarmax dry bulk carrier, has been fixed on a time charter contract at a gross daily charter rate equal to 103% of the average of the Baltic Panamax Index 5TC routes. The charter is expected to commence on April 4, 2022, and will have a minimum duration of twelve months and a maximum duration of fifteen months at the charterer’s option.The Magic Venus…

Shipowner Costamare Inc. announced it has ordered eight newbuild containerships and acquired seven secondhand bulk carriers.The Monaco-headquartered company said Thursday it signed contracts with an unspecified Asian shipyard for two 13,000 TEU capacity newbuilds and exercised options under a previous agreement for two more of the same capacity plus four additional 15,000 TEU capacity vessels. Each of the ships will commence long-term charters with a "leading liner company" upon scheduled delivery between the third quarter of 2023 and first quarter of 2024.Gregory Zikos…

Cyprus-based shipping company Castor Maritime Inc. announced it has secured new charter agreements for several of its bulk carrier vessels.The 2010-built Panamax dry bulk carrier Magic Nova has been fixed on a time charter contract at a gross daily charter rate equal to 92% of the average of the Baltic Panamax Index 5TC routes. The charter commenced on November 17, 2021, and has a minimum duration of eleven months and a maximum duration of about fourteen months (+/- 15 days) at the charterer’s option.The 2006-built Capesize dry bulk carrier Magic Orion has been fixed on a time charter contract at a gross daily charter rate equal to 101% of the average of the Baltic Capesize Index 5TC routes.

Cyprus-based shipping company Castor Maritime announced on Thursday that it has fixed two of its bulk carriers on time charter agreements. The 2006-built Capesize dry bulk carrier Magic Orion has been fixed on a time charter contract at a gross daily charter rate of $73,000. The charter is expected to commence on or around October 8, 2021, and will have a duration of about 45 days.The Magic Eclipse, a 2011 built Panamax dry bulk carrier, has been fixed on a time charter contract at a gross daily charter rate of $28,500. The charter commenced on September 14, 2021, and has a minimum duration of eight months and a maximum duration of ten months (+/- 15 days) at the charterer’s option.

Shipping company Castor Maritime on Monday announced a trio of new time charter agreements.The Magic Nebula, a 2010 built Kamsarmax dry bulk carrier, has been fixed on a time charter contract at a gross daily charter rate of $31,750. The charter commenced on September 4, 2021, and has a minimum duration of six months and a maximum duration of eight months (+/- 15 days) at the charterer’s option.The Magic Moon, a 2005 built Panamax dry bulk carrier, has been fixed on a time charter contract at a gross daily charter rate of $30,250. The charter commenced on August 31, 2021, and has a duration of about 90 days.The Magic Nova, a 2010 built Panamax dry bulk carrier…

The lack of accurate tow size information and two pilots’ insufficient radio communication led to a fatal collision between two towing vessels in the Lower Mississippi River near Destrehan, La., according to a National Transportation Safety Board Marine Accident Brief released Thursday.Marine Accident Brief 21/16 details the NTSB’s investigation of the Jan. 26, 2020, collision of the towing vessels Cooperative Spirit and RC Creppel. The RC Creppel, which capsized in the accident, had four crewmembers aboard — one was rescued and three others were never found.

Castor Maritime announced it has acquired a 2013 Japanese-built Kamsarmax dry bulk carrier for $21 million, marking the Cyprus-based shipping company's 18th vessel acquisition of 2021.Castor did not name the seller, but said it expects to take delivery of the vessel within the second quarter or beginning of the third quarter of this year.The Nasdaq-listed company has been swiftly expanding its dry bulk fleet, having bought three bulk carriers in 2020 and another 10 so far in 2021.

Cyprus-based shipping company Castor Maritime has agreed to acquire a 2015 Chinese-built Kamsarmax dry bulk carrier from an unaffiliated third party for $23.5 million. The vessel comes with a charter contract included."The vessel will be delivered to the Company with a time charter contract attached with a reputable charterer, at a daily gross charter rate equal to 114% of the Baltic Panamax Index, and with an estimated remaining term of about 17 to 21 months," Castor Maritime…