Belships has sold one of its oldest ships as it renews its fleet.
Chief executive Lars Christian Skarsgaard confirmed that the Oslo-listed shipowner has sold the PT Pal-built 50,000-dwt Belfort (built 2008) to a buyer based in Asia.
“We expect delivery to take place in a couple of months when the vessel has completed its current voyage from the Atlantic,” the chief executive said.
TradeWinds reported a sale of the vessel in March but, at the time, Skarsgaard described reports of a sale as pure rumours.
Brokers have now claimed that the Belfort fetched a price of $6.2m. VesselsValue estimates the bulker is worth $7m.
Belships also owns the sistership Belorient (built 2008), which Skarsgaard said has not been sold. He said the company is considering its options.
The PT Pal-built ships entered Belships' fleet as part of the company's merger with Frode Teigen’s Lighthouse Navigation in 2019. Lighthouse now acts as Belships' commercial management arm, as well as an operator of chartered tonnage.
Belships controls a fleet of 14 owned bulkers, according to Clarksons.
The company took delivery of three ultramax newbuildings last year and will receive another two this year.
Meanwhile, Skarsgaard said Belships has “started the new year very strongly”.
“We plan to continue our modernisation of our fleet, in addition to expanding our business further in Lighthouse Navigation,” he said.
