Heidmar 'establishes foothold in container shipping' with first vessel purchase

Heidmar has entered into an agreement to acquire A Obelix, a 1,702-TEU cellular, gearless feeder container vessel, built in 2008 at Wadan Aker Yards, Wismar Germany. A Obelix is classed by Lloyd’s Register and has been strengthened for Ice Class II operations. The vessel is powered by a two-stroke main engine and is equipped with a bow thruster, allowing for a high degree of manoeuvrability and independence in port operations, and a high-capacity 330-plug reefer system. 

The vessel’s next drydock is scheduled for 2028, allowing for three years of operations with no projected upfront maintenance expense. A Obelix will come with an approximate 2.5-year time charter to a leading operator and is expected to generate EBITDA of approximately US$17–20M over the period of the charter depending on the trade of the vessel. Delivery is expected between August and September 2025.

A statement said, “We are working with potential joint venture partners for this vessel and others in the future. Heidmar is acquiring its interest in the vessel from a related party for around US$25M. The security of the charter revenue and the end-of-life recycling price are expected to effectively cover the cost of the acquisition in case of the high EBITDA scenario. This initial 1,702-TEU feeder vessel establishes a foothold; additional opportunities will be evaluated case-by-case, specifically in the feeder segment, an essential, undersupplied part of the sector that serves as a workhorse of the global container trade. With dispersion in manufacturing as a result of tariffs applied by the US administration and also the application of higher port dues in the US for Chinese-built, owned or operated ships, the feeder container sector is projected to see strong demand.” 

This acquisition expands Heidmar’s footprint beyond its traditional tanker and dry bulk platform. Heidmar chief executive Pankaj Khanna commented, “This marks an important milestone for Heidmar as we continue to broaden our platform and offer investors direct exposure to high-return shipping projects. The feeder container segment offers strong fundamentals with limited fleet growth and high charter visibility, offering an annualised cash-on-cash return of close to 30%. We’re excited to execute our first acquisition in this space, financed with seller credit and third-party debt arranged on competitive terms, and look forward to building further momentum within the second half of the year. This transaction is the Company’s first vessel acquisition since becoming a public company and underscores our ability to source and execute high-return, differentiated opportunities, while continuing to scale its commercial and technical management platform.”