Tor Olav Troim-backed Himalaya Shipping has fixed two more of its new bulkers on term deals at what it says is its best-ever rate.
A “substantial and reputable counterparty” has taken the LNG dual-fuel newcastlemaxes for between 22 and 26 months on delivery from New Times Shipyard in China in January and July 2024.
There are options for a further 11 to 13 months on top.
Both vessels will earn an index-linked rate, reflecting a “significant premium” to the Baltic Exchange’s 5TC index, the weighted average of spot rates as assessed across five key capesize routes, Himalaya said.
The time charters also include profit-sharing for any economic benefit derived from the ships’ scrubbers.
And there are certain rights to convert the time charters to fixed rates based on the prevailing forward freight agreement curve from time to time.
The company has now chartered out nine of its 12 newbuildings.
“We are witnessing strong interest for the three remaining vessels,” it said.
Chief executive Herman Billung added: “The premium agreed on these charter agreements is to our knowledge the highest achieved so far, even compared to our own previous agreements.”
Fearnley Securities quoted the highest premium previously achieved by the company at 142%.
In October, Koch Shipping took four of the bulkers delivering this year. Koch now has six ships on charter from Himalaya.
The shipowner completed its IPO on the New York Stock Exchange on 31 March and has a dual listing in Oslo.
The stock floated in New York at $5.80 in the IPO.
