Norway’s Atlantica Shipping has continued its return to container shipping with its second boxship purchase of the year.
The Oslo-based owner has bought the 3,600-teu Chopin (built 2012) from London-based Borealis Maritime for a price reportedly just above $24m.
The deal includes an 18-month charter at $20,000 per day up to the second quarter of 2026, according to European brokers.
The Chopin was taken on a five-year charter by Spanish liner operator Marguisa in April 2021. The boxship currently operates on the services between Europe and West Africa.
Borealis bought the Chopin in 2015 for about $25m, although it is listed as having a charter-free value of $37.5m, according to VesselsValue.
Borealis is estimated to have sold 43 of the 50 boxships in a fleet of 80 vessels the company owned in 2021.
Positive on feeders
The Chopin is the second small boxship acquired by Atlantica in recent months.
Atlantica partner Endre Landbo said: “In general, we are positive to the feeder segment.”
In July, Atlantica bought the 4,600-teu Northern Power (built 2010) from V.Ships (Hamburg) and renamed it Atlantica Power.
The Northern Power was taken with the remainder of a five-year charter attached with French liner operator CMA CGM at $38,000 per day.
Atlantica had previously not bought boxships for six years.
It was last active in the container ship sale-and-purchase market in July 2018 when it bought the 2,474-teu Hai Lian (built 2002), which was sold to MSC Mediterranean Shipping Co in 2021.
In April, MSC also bought the 2,783-teu Atlantic Discoverer (renamed MSC Assunta III, built 2004), which was Atlantica’s last boxship at the time.
