Belships has put up one of its oldest bulkers for sale, continuing an active streak in the sale-and-purchase market.
The Oslo-listed company is looking to sell the 55,000-dwt Belfri (built 2007), which was built at Japan's Kawaasaki Heavy Industries.
Brokers estimate that the Japanese-built vessel could fetch more than $13m.
It has been in Belships' control since the Norwegian company's fleet merged with that of Frode Teigen's Lighthouse Group.
Belships chief executive Lars Christian Skarsgaard said: "It is correct that we are open to selling the ship."
The Norwegian shipowner is taking delivery of six newbuildings this year plus a 2017-built ultramax.
"So that this will be part of the growth and modernisation of the company's fleet," he said.
Belships merged with Lighthouse in 2018, taking its fleet to 20 ships. In 2019, the outfit headhunted Skarsgaard from broker Fearnleys to become the new CEO.
Teigen controls nearly 54% of Belships through his companies Kontrari and Kontrazi, after recent moves to increase his stake. He sits on the board at Belships, which now has a fleet of 26 supramaxes and ultramaxes, including newbuildings.
So far this year, the firm has disposed of two PT Pal-built supramax bulkers. In January, the 50,000-dwt Belfort (built 2008) went for $6.2m. A month later, the sistership Belorient (built 2008) was sold for $7m.
Both these ships ended up with Indonesia's Pancaran Samudera Transport.
The board said last month that it intends to begin paying out around 50% of its net profit in quarterly dividends to shareholders after the end of this quarter.
