Ahrenkiel Steamship of Germany is looking to tap the Chinese lease financing market in a $55m deal with the Bank of Communications Finance Leasing Co (Bocomm).
The company’s full fleet of five supramax bulkers have been sold en bloc with a charter back to the shipowner, according to various European broking houses.
A Bocomm executive confirmed that a deal is under discussion but said on Tuesday that no letter of intent has been signed. Ahrenkiel officials could not be reached for comment.
The vessels involved in the sale and leaseback transaction are named as 56,800-dwt AS Valentia, AS Virginia and AS Victoria (all built 2009), AS Vincentia (built 2010) and AS Valdivia (built 2011).
Broker reports have suggested a price of $10.75m for the three older vessels and something over $11m apiece for the two newer ships.
The Bocomm executive said, however, that the price being discussed is lower than the reported figure of $55m.
The shipowner, part of the MPC Group, has a presence in the dry cargo, tanker, container and ferry markets.
MPC has diversified its sources of funding of late, with the company tapping the equity and debt capital markets in Oslo to fund the building of a feedership fleet ahead of a US listing.
