Empros Lines of Greece has been linked to an eight-year-old supramax in a continued effort to build its fleet.
European shipbroking sources say the company is paying $14.7m for the Japanese-controlled, 58,000-dwt King Freight (built 2009).
The price for the Tsuneishi Heavy Industries (Cebu)-built ship is in line with the $14m that EGD Shipholding of Norway recently received for sistership Caroline Victory (built 2008) in a sale to an undisclosed Greek buyer.
Empros did not respond to a request for comment.
The company, which is listed with a fleet of six bulkers at an average age of five years, has been active in the sale-and-purchase market this year, largely in moves to expand its fleet.
In February, it bought the 75,000-dwt Conti Spinell (renamed Captain Tassos D, built 2011) for $10.9m.
Then, in April, the company acquired the Tsuneishi-built, 58,000-dwt Maritime Emerald (renamed Atherina, built 2009) for $14.5m.
But, this year, Empros has also sold its oldest bulker, the Imabari Shipbuilding-constructed, 53,000-dwt Alitis (built 2002) for $6.85m to Alunited Maritime of Bangladesh.
Prior to the entry of the King Freight, Empros had a fleet of two panamaxes, a pair of ultramaxes and two supramaxes.
It also has the 63,000-dwt newbuilding Giorgos Dracopoulos, which is set for delivery from Iwagi Zosen next year.
This bulker and sistership Alani (built 2017) were ordered at the Japanese yard in an off-market deal in 2015, likely for $32m to $33m each.
