One year after signing his first newbuilding orders, Greek shipowner George Chatzis is expanding his fleet following a string of transactions on the secondhand market.
In the latest of these deals concluded late last month, the low-profile player agreed to buy the 82,200-dwt kamsarmax Lily Atlantic (built 2009) for about $16.5m.
The ship was built at Tadotsu Tsuneishi and its previous Japanese owner, Toko Unyu, carried out a dry-docking and a special survey before selling it.
The Lily Atlantic becomes the fourth ship since December to join Chatzis’ fleet of more than 30 bulkers, which is split between two Piraeus-based management companies.
Newport SA is active in the handysize segment. The company’s website featuring 11 handysizes under management.
Grehel Shipmanagement focuses on larger bulkers, mainly panamaxes and kamsarmaxes transporting wheat and barley.
It is the Grehel fleet that has seen more additions this year.
In June, the company emerged as the new manager of the 83,500-dwt Erena (built 2011) — which had been previously trading as Key Guardian and was reported sold in March by Mizuho Sangyo to undisclosed Greek buyers.
Another bulker featuring in Grehel’s fleet list is the 61,500-dwt Haato (built 2011), an ultramax previously trading as Shimanami Queen and reported sold late in 2023 to undisclosed buyers for between $18.5m and $19m.
Newport has had one addition — the 38,100-dwt Pacific Cypress (built 2012), which joined the fleet in April as Agia Charis, after a sale by Shoei Kisen.
TradeWinds has already reported how Chatzis placed his first newbuilding orders. The trio of kamsarmaxes is under construction at Oshima Shipbuilding, which is set to deliver the first of the ultra-low fuel consumption vessels in 2025 and two in 2026.
