Another ship appears to have been sold from the operated fleet of Singapore-based bulker company Pacific Carriers.
Brokers reported the Japanese-controlled, 83,000-dwt Ikan Bagang (built 2009) has been sold to an undisclosed buyer for $12.5m.
The price for the Sanoyas Shipbuilding-constructed kamsarmax is slightly lower than expectations.
The ship was estimated to be worth between $12.8m and $13.3m, according to Maritime Strategies International and VesselsValue.
Ikan Bagang is understood to be Japanese owned, but the ship's registered owner is DNN Business Corp, according to Equasis.
Speculation
Some sources speculated that Swiss Marine bought the Ikan Bagang, but this could not be confirmed.
Reports of the sale comes as Pacific Carriers approached about 20 Japanese shipowners earlier this year requesting they either take back their ships, or reduce rates. The company sought rate reductions on about 40 vessels as it struggled to cope with a slump in the dry bulk market.
In a statement to TradeWinds, Pacific Carriers recently said: “Our discussion with Japanese owners are still ongoing and given the confidentiality of our discussions, we are unable to provide any specific details at this juncture.”
The company is backed by billionaire business magnate Robert Kuok. In addition to its bulkers, the ship operator is listed with seven MR tankers on the water and a MR newbuilding at STX Offshore due for delivery this year.
Pacific Carriers' website lists a mix of tankers and bulkers. TradeWinds understands that it is also into the LPG segment. In April 2018, it bought the 78,000-cbm BW Denise (built 2001) from the BW Group for $24.5m before renaming it Rubra.
