First Steamship has acquired a newbuilding kamsarmax bulk carrier to boost its fleet size, the company said.
The Taiwan-listed company bought the vessel, which will be installed with ballast water treatment systems upon delivery in 2020, from Marubeni for $32.6m.
According to VesselsValue, an 80,000-dwt panamax bulker for 2020 delivery is valued at $30.78m.
First Steamship declined to comment further on the transaction.
Having sold five aged ships earlier this decade, First Steamship owned two handysize, three kamsarmax and four supramax bulkers built from 2009 onwards as of end-December.
“If there are good opportunities, we will buy more panamaxes and kamsarmaxes,” a company spokesman told TradeWinds.
In November, the company unveiled a plan to raise up to $50m via sales of three-year, guaranteed convertible bonds to overseas investors for fleet expansion and debt repayments.
TradeWinds understands First Steamship is still waiting for Taiwanese regulatory approval for the fund-raising plan.
The company aims to complete the sale and list the bonds in Singapore by the end of March.
