MPC Capital is returning to the large containership sector.
Investors working with the German company have purchased the 6,350-teu Hamburg (built 2009) from Diana Containerships for about $21m, sources said.
The vessel will be technically and commercially managed by MPC Capital’s subsidiaries Ahrenkiel Steamship and Contchart.
The deal continues a dual-pronged strategy that has seen MPC Capital involved in various transactions for larger containerships in the past 18 months.
Those acquisitions are distinct from the purchase of nearly 70 small feeder boxships by MPC Capital's Oslo-listed daughter company, MPC Container Ships (MPCC).
Sources said investors working with MPC Capital have been looking to fund large containerships in the 5,500-teu to 7,000-teu segment.
That follows the success of working with Oslo’s Awilco Container, which last year bought six traditional panamax boxships and resold three for a profit to China’s Quanzhou Ansheng Shipping.
Since then, MPC Capital has also begun working with US investors who bought the 5,060-teu MP The Gronk, MP The Brady, MP The Edelman (all built 2005), and MP The Belichick (built 2006).
The Hamburg is the largest vessel in the MPC Capital-managed fleet. The acquisition leaves Diana Containerships with just four vessels following the deal this week involving the 6,541-teu Puelo (built 2006), which was sold for $20.1m before commission.
Meanwhile, MPCC continues to grow and this week acquired three more feederships from German owners Reederei Thomas Schulte and Reederei Nord.
The company said it had entered into an agreement with Triton Debt Opportunities and its subsidiary Victoria Schulte Shipping to buy the 2,500-teu Victoria Schulte (built 2005), which will be renamed AS Paola, for $11.8m.
MPCC has also snapped up two vessels from Reederei Nord. They are the 2,500-dwt Welle and Woge (built 2005 and 2006, respectively), to be renamed AS Penelope and AS Pauline, with delivery in the second quarter for a price of $11m each. This will lift the company's fleet to 68.
MPC Capital CEO Constantin Baack said the company is considering financing options to grow the business via asset acquisitions or ship-for-share transactions.
