The son of Bertram Rickmers is involved in a new company being set up to handle the chartering of eight feeder containerships ordered in China.
Clasen Rickmers is one of three executives behind the Hamburg-based venture, which will be responsible for the 1,162-teu Bengalmax newbuildings booked at Fujian Mawei Shipbuilding.
The ships were ordered by Germany’s MarLink Project Management but are destined for Bertram Rickmers’ privately owned Asian Spirit Steamship Co (ASSC).
MarLink joint managing directors Christoph Sturm and Mathias Pahl will join Clasen Rickmers in running the new commercial management company, whose name has still to be announced.
It is understood that, from 1 December, they will share a new office in the same building as Brick Holding, the Rickmers’ family private investment vehicle. MarLink is currently located at the same address, close to the US consulate in Hamburg.
Clasen Rickmers is listed as managing partner of ASSC since April 2018 and was business development manager at Rickmers Shipmanagement in Singapore until May. That company was acquired by Kurt Zech’s Zeaborn Group.
Prior to that, Clasen Rickmers worked as a shipbroker with Navis Chartering in Singapore, where he also served as a management trainee with Bengal Tiger Line.
Sturm confirmed that a new chartering company was being established for the Bengalmax ships and Clasen Rickmers would play a key role.
Declining to confirm other details, he said the first vessel in the series was close to sea trials and was expected to be delivered between the end of January and middle of February next year. The next ship is scheduled a few weeks later, with the others in pairs a few months apart.
In total, 10 sister vessels were ordered at Fujian Mawei, with ships three and five acquired by Malaysian domestic boxship player MTT. It had options for two more, which have not been declared.
Clasen Rickmers is understood to have been in the Far East to market the newbuildings, although no time charters have been agreed so far.
The vessels, which feature scrubbers, were said to be costing between $20m and $22m each. Finance house C&D, which is part of the group that owns Fujian Mawei, is said to be providing bareboat finance.
Although the vessels are relatively expensive and will require a time-charter rate much higher than for many other feederships of this size, such as CV1100s, it is claimed charterers will be rewarded with significantly lower slot costs.
It is understood MarLink has been holding talks with various potential charterers and hopes to secure employment for at least the first ships before the end of the year.
Brick Holding is headed up by ASSC chief executive Ulrik Kriete.
Bertram Rickmers’ public arm, Rickmers Holding, filed for insolvency in June 2017 after HSH Nordbank rejected a restructuring plan. It had around €700m ($810m) of debt.
Since then, Bertram Rickmers has remained silent about what his long-term ambitions are to rebuild his fleet, initially by investing family funds.
