Minsheng Financial Leasing (MSFL) has purchased a Japanese-built panamax as it continues its campaign to buy secondhand vessels.
The 76,600-dwt AOM Milena (built 2009), which is to be renamed Wisdom Diva, is the third Japanese-built panamax or kamsarmax that MSFL has bought in two months.
But unlike the two previous vessels, it will not join MSFL's fleet of owned vessels operated on time charters.
Bareboat charter
Sources close to the deal said it will go on bareboat charter to a Chinese shipowner, which does not want to be identified.
An MSFL official confirmed the deal but was unwilling to be drawn on price, saying only that the ship went for "fair market value" in a transaction set to close this week.
The vessel is owned by South Korea's Green Maritime Co.
TradeWinds reported in November that MSFL was planning to buy several ships of this tonnage and age class this year, targeted for one-year time charters to Chinese-controlled owners in the international flag trades.
In October, it picked up Nissin Kaiun Kaisha's 83,600-dwt Global Star (built 2010) for a reported $19.1m and, before that, Mitsubishi Corp's 81,500-dwt Sky Jade (built 2010) for a reported $19.2m.
When delivered, the vessels will join a fleet of 34 bulkers from supramax to panamax that MSFL owns outside its financial leasing business.
