Greece’s Diligent Holdings is targeting a fleet renewal with larger vessels after completing its latest bulker sale.
The company said it has offloaded its 56,000-dwt supramax Epic (built 2009) to Blue Fleet Group of Lebanon for $18m.
The deal follows the sale of the 56,000-dwt sister Oreo (built 2008) to the same owner in June for $19.35m.
Diligent said this was a new record price for that age and type of vessel at the time.
VesselsValue assesses the Epic as worth $16.56m. Brokers had reported the sale at $18m.
The supramax was bought in 2020 from Triton Navigation of the Netherlands for $11.3m.
“The condition of Epic was exceptional as we had passed her special survey dry dock earlier this year,” Diligent added.
Both the Epic and Oreo are fitted with ballast water treatment systems.
Until last year, the Diligent fleet numbered 15 vessels, but five smaller Japanese-built Imabari 28 handysizes have since been sold through broker Hull Search International of London, which also handled the supramax transactions.
The owner said the fleet has been reduced to make room for larger vessels through expansion and renewal.
One of the handies also went to Blue Fleet Group.
Diligent has not bought a vessel since the start of 2020.
Maintenance is key
“Our Imabari 28s were all sold at unusually high prices, which brokers attributed to their excellent condition, but which we attribute to our ashore/on-board team who have put together a state of the art, high-end maintenance programme which includes…several external yearly inspections from independent surveyors,” Diligent said.
These are then cross-referenced with the company's own more regular internal inspections every three months.
The fleet is also inspected and vetted by Rightship.
Diligent added that its charterers now want index-linked deals for handies, supramaxes and the bigger kamsarmaxes.
"We endeavour to grow our fleet and the Diligent brand, producing vessels of quality and of maintenance that are second to none," the company said.
Blue Fleet Group is managed and owned by Roy Khoury.
The company has operations in Greece and headquarters in Beirut, with 37 ships under management, several of which are owned by the principal.
The owner also bought two supramaxes earlier this year from Hong Kong owner Taylor Maritime and its London-listed spin-off Taylor Maritime Investments.
