The US-based Pasha Group has continued its charter spree by taking a pair of smaller container ships on short periods at record-breaking rates.
The US charterer is paying up to $230,000 per day to take the 4,308-teu Ionikos (built 2009) for a minimum of three months starting in March, according to European brokers.
The rate marks a new high for the classic panamax boxship sector with the vessel likely to be used as an extra-loader for services in the transpacific.
The deal is expected to net Greek owner Dioryx Maritime in excess of $20m for the minimum period.
Pasha also has set a new benchmark for a charter in the sub-panamax sector.
The company is paying $175,000 per day to take the 2,756-teu X-Press Mekong (built 2021) from the end of the month for around 50 days.
The vessel, which is owned by Singapore-based owner Sea Consortium, will be used for a single transpacific round voyage, said brokers.
A Pasha spokesperson declined to comment on the deals, which came just two weeks after the company’s recent charter spree.
In January, the California-based company scooped up seven container ships in the 2,700-teu to 3,500-teu sector.
Some were taken for longer periods including the 2,756-teu Cape Altius (built 2020), which Pasha booked for three-and-a-half years at $61,000 per day.
'Forget last done'
The Ionikos fixture exceeds the last done deal at the height of the market four months ago.
In September, a handful of traditional panamaxes — including the Euroseas-controlled, 4,253-teu Synergy Oakland (built 2009 ) — breached the $200,000 per day threshold for short fixtures.
The charter market dipped after that but has soared again since the start of the year.
That has poured oil on the flames of a red-hot sale-and-purchase market, in which Dioryx has been linked to the possible sale of the Ionikos for a record $95m.
The sale is not confirmed, and Dioryx executives have declined to comment on the charter deal.
But brokers jumped on the recent fixtures as evidence that the boxship market is gaining momentum despite the Lunar New Year holidays.
“Ships getting fixed very fast and hardly anybody cares about last done,” according to the commentary of the New ConTex index.
All indications point to rises in rates as a result of the lack of tonnage, massive demand and ongoing congestion problems, it added.
“Consequently, it’s only a matter of time before 2023 comes more and more into focus, with only a limited number of ships available for the rest of 2022,” it added.
That is reflected in fixtures of smaller vessels being done several months in advance of delivery, said brokers.
Fixtures are also getting longer with the market for sub-panamax boxships moving towards four year periods.
That is borne out with the fixture by Israeli charterer Zim of the 1,500-teu Warnow Master (built 2009) for four years at $31,500 per day.
Similarly, Indonesian owner PT Pelayaran Meratus fixed the 2,701-teu Meratus Tomini (built 2007) with Maersk for three-and-a-half years at $45,500 per day.
The same owner also fixed the 2,500-teu Meratus Jimbaran (built 2000) to the Danish charterer for three years at $42,500 per day, brokers said.
