Neu Seeschiffahrt, a Hamburg-based outfit controlled by the Neu family of the US, has made its first acquisition in years by scooping up a pair of newcastlemaxes from Wisdom Marine Lines.
TradeWinds already reported earlier this week about Taipei-listed Wisdom Marine putting the 207,900-dwt sisterships Clear Horizon and Blue Horizon (both built 2012) up for sale.
US and London-based brokers reported about a deal for the two vessels as early as 22 September, at $30.5m each.
However, TradeWinds is told that the transaction was actually finalised late on 26 September, when the buyer lifted subjects.
William Wallace, managing director and chief operating officer at Neu Seeschiffahrt, said: “[This is] all part of the new Neu Seeschiffahrt. [It is] part of our new strategy to get more involved with regular cape/newcastlemax tonnage.
“Expect to see us buying further ships in the coming months as well as chartering in tonnage.”
Neu Seeschiffahrt’s website currently lists six ore carriers and one single capesize in the company’s managed fleet.
The two ships it is buying now — the Clear Horizon and Blue Horizon — were the only newcastlemaxes with Wisdom Marine Lines.
The Taipei-listed company had earlier said it received authorisation from its board to sell the pair for no less than TWD 1.9bn ($59.08m) in total.
Newcastlemaxes are not Wisdom Lines’ core ship type.
The company has been on something of a newbuilding order spree, booking eight handysizes at Japanese-controlled shipyards this year.
Wisdom Lines has said it is ordering newbuildings to replace older ships.
