Oslo-based shipowner Atlantica has cashed in on a container ship and invested in a secondhand product tanker as it continues to rebalance its fleet.
Brokers reported that the Norwegian asset player is the previously unidentified buyer of the 50,900-dwt MR2 product tanker Arctic Bay (built 2006).
The company bought the ship, which is to be renamed Atlantica Bell, from Germany's Interorient Marine Services for $11.5m in a late November deal.
More recently, Atlantica has taken advantage of continued strong container ship prices to sell the 2,007-teu Atlantic Solli (built 2008) to unknown buyers for $26m.
"I can confirm both of those deals," Atlantica shareholder Ole Martin Roseth told TradeWinds. He declined to disclose the prices, however.
MR2 product tankers have been a favoured sector for Atlantica this year as it has rebalanced its fleet, with the sale of six container ships and the purchase of three MR2 tankers and a supramax bulker.
Norwegian shipbroking firm Fearnleys expects to see tanker charter rates of around $22,000 per day in the MR bracket next year, by comparison with an estimated $10,000 on average for this year.
"I'd like it to be true that rates would double, but I'm not counting my chickens yet," said Roseth. "We do have a positive outlook on the sector, otherwise we would not be buying the ships."
But he would not be drawn on whether Atlantica expects to accumulate more tanker tonnage.
"Who knows? I don't like to talk in the newspapers about our plans for sale and purchase," said Roseth.
In April, Atlantica bought the 51,200-dwt Hellas Enterprise (now Atlantica Brave, built 2008) for a reported $13m from Latsco Shipping. In May, it paid a reported $15.15m for the last ship from the former Diamond S fleet, the 50,000-dwt tanker Atlantic Pisces (now Zeze Start, built 2009).
On the container side, Atlantica started off the year with the sale of four veteran 1,700-teu ships built between 1998 and 2002 to Mediterranean Shipping Co (MSC) for $6m each.
The company also resumed selling in September, pocketing some $29m for the 2,474-teu Atlantic Flosta (built 2002), also to MSC. Roseth did not comment on the buyer in the $26m Atlantic Solli sale.
Atlantica Shipping makes many of its acquisitions through the Norwegian limited partnership (KS) system, with Norwegian and European investment partners.
Atlantica itself is majority-owned by its management team. Johan Werner owns 40% and Roseth has 20%, while Endre Landbo and Robert Vargum control 5% each. The rest is held by heirs of RS Platou and by affiliates of Greek and German shipowners AM Nomikos and Oldendorff Carriers.
