UAE-based Adnoc Logistics and Services, the shipping unit of Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, has acquired two VLCCs from Norwegian owner Hunter Group, marking its entry into the VLCC tanker segment.

Multiple shipbroking houses including Seasure Shipbroking, Intermodal, Lorentzen & Stemoco all reported that ADNOC acquired the 2019-built VLCC pair “Hunter Laga” and “Hunter Saga” for $84m each.

Following the sale, VLCC pureplay owner, Hunter Group, will be left with five vessels.

VesselsValue data shows ADNOC Logistics and Services owns six bulkers, three containerships, nine tankers, eight LNG carriers and one LPG carrier.

Emanuel Lauro’s Scorpio Bulkers continues to sell off bulkers at a rapid pace, announcing the sale of two Ultramaxes overnight.

The 2017-built pair “SBI Phoenix” and “SBI Samson” have been sold for around $34m, with VesselsValue data showing the buyer as Denmark’s Navigare Capital Partners. The vessels have been renamed “Navigare Beatus” and “Navigare Bellus”.

Since announcing a move into offshore wind, Scorpio has been offloading Kamsarmaxes with the sale of the 2015-built “SBI Conga ” for $18.4m, the “SBI Rock” for a little over $18m and the “SBI Sousta” for around $18.5m.

The sales will leave Scorpio with an operating fleet of 47 vessels, and a single wind turbine installation vessel on order at DSME with options for three more.

India’s Great Eastern Shipping Company has announced that it has signed contracts to buy a 2012-built LR2 product tanker.

Great Eastern said the South Korean vessel is expected to be delivered before the end of the year.

Seasure Shipbroking has identified the vessel as NYK Line’s Hyundai-built Champion Princess, with the deal priced at $26.5m.

Great Eastern currently has a fleet of 46 vessels, made up of 28 tankers, five LPG carriers and 13 bulkers.

The only capsize bulker in the fleet of Naples-based Giuseppe Bottiglieri Shipping Company, controlled by Bain Capital, has been sold to Zodiac Maritime according to multiple broker sources.

The 2011-built capesize bulk carrier Giuseppe Bottiglieri has been reported sold for a price of $15.7m. VesselsValue places the market value of the ship at $17.17m.

This latest deal follows the sale of four MR tankers earlier this year to Chinese buyers for some $28m. The Mariella Bottiglieri, Alessandra Bottiglieri and Manuela Bottiglieri have all been delivered, while Ghetty Bottiglieri is still to be delivered to the new owner.

Following the completion of the sales, Giuseppe Bottiglieri will have 10 post-panamax bulkers in its fleet.

With capes trading in excess of $30,000 a day all week, there’s been a corresponding uptick in interest to acquire big bulker tonnage.

Advanced Shipping and Trading, Allied Shipbroking and Lorentzen & Stemoco all reported that German owner Zeaborn sold its 2010-built 179,600 DWT capesize bulker ER America. The Romanian-built vessel was acquired by Greek buyers for $20.5m, with VesselsValue data showing Tsakos Shipping as the buyer.

Allied Shipbroking, Lorentzen & Stemoco and Banchero Costa all reported the sale of the 2011-built 34,100 DWT handy bulker Capetan Costis. Greek owner Super Eco Bulkers sold the South Korean-built vessel to compatriot owner Kouros Maritime for $8.25m.

Several shipbroking houses reported that the 2015-built 82,000 DWT Kamsarmax bulker Precious Sky was sold by Japanese owner MC Shipping to Greek buyers while Lorentzen & Stemoco identified the buyer as John Kalogirators-controlled Primerose Shipping. The vessel has fetched a price of $21.25m.

The tanker S&P market saw moderate activities this week with deals mostly focused on larger vessels.

Intermodal reported that AET Tankers sold its 2006-built VLCC Bunga Kasturi Tiga to Indonesian energy firm Pertamina for $31m.

More than six shipbroking houses listed the sale of the 2011-built 305,000 DWT VLCC Tokitsu Maru. Japanese owner NYK sold the crude tanker to Greek buyers for $45m.

Both Intermodal and Lorentzen & Stemoco reported that Japanese owner Eifuku Kaiun sold its 2008-built 19,800 DWT chemical tanker Pacific Sapphire to Dutch owner Ace Tankers. The Japanese-built vessel went for $11.8m.

A shortage of shipping containers in Asia has seen prices for secondhand boxes skyrocket, particularly in China, according to Container xChange.

A combination of container lines rolling back blanked sailings on the transpacific trade and a spike in imports from Asia into Europe in July and August as lockdowns eased has left lines struggling to return equipment to Asia. The result is lines are suffering a shortage of containers at Asian load ports for exports.

A container availability index from Container xChange illustrates the problem with availability in the Port of Qingdao, China dropped from 0.7 in week 36 to 0.35 now – a value of less of 0.5 indicates a shortage of equipment. On the flip side containers are piling up at destination ports with the availability of 40-foot containers in the Port of Los Angeles standing at 0.57 on 11 September compared to 0.11 in week 35.

One solution is to buy secondhand containers but as figures from Container xChange show this has become an increasingly expensive proposition especially in China. The average price for a container manufactured between 2000 – 2005 across all Chinese ports stands at $1,744 with peak prices considerably higher.

“With +115% in week 28, +90% in week 32, and +78% in week 35 compared to the average, we can see that sellers ask for higher prices due to lower container availability in Asia,” Container xChange said.

Secondhand containers are considerably cheaper in European ports but need to be repositioned to Asia meaning they do not solve the immediate availability issue, as well as additional costs to move the boxes back to Asia. Prices for units built between 2000 and 2005 cost $1,262 on average in Rotterdam, $1,337 in Antwerp and $1,384 in Hamburg.

The shortage in Asia looks set to continue. ”Strong demand in the US for e-commerce merchandise and medical supplies, such as personal protective equipment, will last into October, and probably beyond that. Carriers are now cutting back on additional free days of usually 20 days or more for large retailers while keeping the free storage time of three days,” Container xChange said.

Norwegian offshore support vessel giant Solstad Offshore has been awarded contract extensions in Norway by Equinor and Aker BP.

Equinor has declared an option to extend the contract for the 2007-built anchor handling vessel Normand Ferking. The extension is for one year, though to November 2021, and Equinor has a further two one-year options. The vessel has been on contract with Equinor since 2007.

Aker BP has extended the contract for the 2012-built platform supply vessel Far Solitaire for one year, commencing January 1, 2021, under a frame agreement between the two companies.

Both vessels are operating on the Norwegian Continental Shelf.

Aberdeen-headquartered Stena Drilling has signed a new contract with Repsol Exploracion Mexico and its partners for a drilling campaign in the Salina Basin offshore Mexico. The 2012-built drillship Stena Icemax has been contracted for Repsol’s 2021 campaign in Block 29, with the campaign expected to commence in May/June 2021.

Stena Drilling operates a fleet of four drillships and two semi-submersible rigs.

Greek containership owner Euroseas has announced the sale of one of its vessels as well as a pair of charter extensions.

1990-built 1,169 TEU feedermax boxship Ninos has been sold for scrap for a price of around $2.36m. The vessel, which is scheduled to be delivered to the buyer before the end of the month, has a scrap value of $1.96m according to VesselsValue.

Euroseas also announced that the 2001-built 5,000 TEU boxship Akinada Bridge has extended its time charter contract for 12-13 months, with an additional 10-12 month option. The daily rate is $17,250 for the firm period and $20,000 on the option.

An extension option was also declared on 2009-built 4,253 TEU Panamax boxship Synergy Oakland, extending the charter for another 8-12 months.

Denmark’s handysize specialist, Janchart Shipping, is linked to its first handy bulker purchase in 2020, marking its eleventh geared vessel acquisition.

Brokers say Janchart has shaken hands with US-based Apex Bulk Carriers, paying around $8m for the nine-year- old 34,300 DWT Thomas C, its first Korean-built ship. Janchart’s focus has so far been on purchasing only elderly, Japanese-built ships.

Janchart was established in 1992 by its current director, Jan Jørgensen. It started out as a broker in dry cargo, chartering mainly in the handysize segment.