Major tanker and bulker owner Minerva Marine is making a move in the container ship sector.
The Greek owner has purchased a third feeder container vessel in the form of a resale from Chinese owner Starocean Marine.
The 1,781-teu A Kobe (built 2023) was acquired from Starocean — also known as Goto Shipping — for a reported price of under $25m, according to European broking sources.
The Chinese owner ordered the series of vessels early in 2021 for a reported $23m.
The vessel is part of a series of eight gearless Bangkokmax vessels built at Yangzijiang Shipbuilding between 2022 and 2023.
The move marks a new era for the Andreas Martinos-led tanker and bulker owner.
The company marked its entrance into container shipping on 16 October with the delivery of the 1,844-teu Little Emma (built 2023).
The vessel is under the management of Minerva Dry, a company established by Martinos in 2020 to oversee the company’s bulker fleet.
The Little Emma is one of two Bangkokmax container ships scheduled for delivery to Minerva, which has a policy of not commenting on commercial matters.
A second unnamed container vessel is slated for delivery to the Greek owner at the end of the year.
The Little Emma has been chartered by Tailwind Shipping, the Hamburg-based shipping subsidiary of supermarket chain Lidl, which operates the vessel on its Asia-to-Europe services.
The two ships are understood to have been ordered in July 2022 for about $33.5m each. The price includes about $2m for the installation of a scrubber.
Growing Greek interest
Minerva is following other Greek tanker and bulker owners that have recently moved into the boxship sector.
The Latsis family-owned Latsco Shipping, which is best known for tankers and gas carriers, took delivery last year of the 1,984-teu Marla Tiger and Marla Bull (both built 2022) from Imabari Shipbuilding in Japan.
Then in July this year, Eastern Mediterranean Maritime, headed by Andreas Martinos’ brother Thanassis, acquired a sister vessel to the A Kobe through a resale.
The 1,781-teu Viking Marlin (built 2023) was purchased from Singapore-based Norse Shipholding and put into service as the Elona II, according to Alphaliner.
Norse itself had earlier bought the vessel from China’s Goto Shipping, which placed the original order in January 2021.
While the move into container shipping marks a new arena for Minerva, the company has maintained its commitment to tankers, with the delivery on 25 October of the 109,900-dwt Hibernian Tide (built 2019) in a deal concluded at $65.5m.
The ice-class tanker has started trading with the company as the Minerva Zoe.
