Clients of Greece’s Conbulk Shipping have emerged as buyers of a sub-panamax that Borealis Maritime sold earlier last week. London brokers and owning sources in Greece said the 2,478-teu Strauss (built 2005) is joining the fleet of Piraeus-based Conbulk. The ship is believed Source: http://www.tradewindsnews.com

Denmark has leapfrogged the US to claim the world’s fifth largest operated fleet of vessels, its shipowners association says. Denmark, which boasts the planet’s biggest shipowning company in AP Moller-Maersk, has moved past the US only 18 months after taking Source: http://www.tradewindsnews.com

Belships has extended an expansion drive under Frode Teigen’s ownership with the addition of an ultramax newbuilding. Oslo-listed Belships has taken the ship on a 10-year bareboat charter, which will increase its operated fleet to 20 vessels. The 64,000-dwt bulker will be delivered Source: http://www.tradewindsnews.com

Allseas has made its first ship sale since Anthony Valmas set up the Greek handysize operator almost 10 years ago. In an inconspicuous but lucrative deal, the Piraeus-based company sold the 28,500-dwt Allstars (built 2000) to Chinese buyers for $4.5m, Greek brokers reported. Valmas, Source: http://www.tradewindsnews.com

Kuwait Oil Tanker Company (KOTC) has launched a tender to sell an elderly anchor-handler. The Kuwait Petroleum Corporation subsidiary said the closing date for bids for the 60-bp Al Sabriyah (built 1983) is 29 July. Bids are valid for 90 days. The vessel is Source: http://www.tradewindsnews.com

PL Shipping has added a handysize bulker — its second such move in five years in the sale-and-­purchase market. Reference sources show the Greek company as the new owner of the 34,100-dwt Eftichia (renamed Hope, built 2011). The vessel is believed to have joined PL Shipping’s fleet this month. It previously belonged to Greek peer Super-­Eco Bulkers, which had been trading it since ­delivery from Dae Sun Shipbuilding & Engineering….

Ditas Denizcilik has notched up its first MR tanker acquisition in five years. Istanbul-based Ditas, a part of Turkey’s Koc conglomerate, has emerged as the buyer of the 50,000-dwt High Sun (built 2014). The Hyundai-Vinashin Shipyard-built product tanker emerged this month in the company’s fleet under its new name, T Fatma. Eco Tankers, a Malta-based joint venture in which Italy’s d’Amico International Shipping has a 33% stake, announced it was…

Greek shipowner Seastar has confirmed that it has sold a supramax bulker but at a higher price than market reports. Company director Lila Demenega of Seastar said the 52,000-dwt bulker Hector (built 2002). achieved a price of $6.65m. TradeWinds reported yesterday that the company had sold the Kanashashi-built ship, but brokers had said the vessel went for $6m. The company has confirmed it was aiming for a price of $7m….

Shoei Kisen is said to have sold a three-year-old ultramax in a deal including a time charter back to the Japanese company. Several brokers in the UK and the US report that Shoei Kisen sold the 61,200-dwt Ultra Innovation (built 2016) to Greek interests for a firm $24m, in a deal that includes a one-year charter back at an index-linked rate. The ship is operated by Denmark-headquartered Ultrabulk, the dry…

Danish ro-ro group DFDS is looking to boost profit over the next five years – and will be looking to buy businesses. The aim is to grow revenue and earnings through developing and expanding its shipping network. It wants EBITBA to reach DKK 5.5bn ($828m) by 2023, compared to DKK 3.6bn for 2018. The owner said a third of this will come from acquisitions in the coming years, increasing its…