Seanergy Maritime Holdings has confirmed buying yet another secondhand capesize bulker, bringing its pureplay fleet to 17 vessels.
The Stamatis Tsantanis-led owner on Tuesday said it has purchased a 2010-built, 181,500-dwt vessel from "an unaffiliated third party" for $34.3m with cash on hand.
TradeWinds reported earlier this month that brokers in the US and Greece said China's Redwood Ocean Shipping (Rosco) is selling the 181,500-dwt Rosco Maple (built 2010) to Seanergy for $34.3m.
New York-listed Seanergy expects to take delivery of the vessel, which has a ballast water treatment system, in November and rename it Dukeship.
Rosco recently sent the ship through special survey, so Seanergy said it does not anticipate incurring any significant off-hire or capital costs with it for the next two years.
Chief executive Tsantanis said Seanergy has bought seven secondhand, Japanese-built capesizes so far this year for $205m.
"The addition of the M/V Dukeship will further enhance our operating leverage as a leading pureplay capesize company," he said in a statement.
"Given the vessel's prompt delivery in a strong capesize market, the acquisition is expected to be immediately accretive for our shareholders."
The capesize 5TC, a spot-rate average weighted across five key routes, has dropped 31% since 7 October to $59,995 per day on Tuesday but is still at highs not seen since 2008.
The paper market, however, is signalling further declines in the capesize sector.
The forward freight agreement (FFA) rate for November came in at $48,143 per day on Tuesday after gaining $3,072 per day.
It continues to fall over the ensuing months to $22,971 per day for February after picking up $735 per day.
