Fredriksen’s Seatankers in bulker-selling mode, clearing out active vessels

European shipbrokers report Seatankers has offloaded Kamsarmaxes Sea Orpheus (built 2015) and Sea Venus (2013) to two different undisclosed owners. The younger vessel is said to have fetched around US$18.5M, while the older one reportedly sold for US$16.5M.

Sea Venus had previously appeared in shipbroking reports earlier this year, but that deal apparently did not materialise, as the vessel soon returned to sales charts.

Shipbroking sources note that if these two sales are confirmed, Seatankers’ active dry bulk fleet will be largely cleared out, making room for incoming newbuildings.

In July, Riviera reported 2014-built Kamsarmaxes Sea Pegasus and Sea Gemini had changed hands. Both vessels have since been renamed and are now under Chinese ownership.

Other recent transactions include Kamsarmax Sea Pluto, now renamed HN Doris and operated by Chinese interests; Kamsarmax Sea Marathon, renamed Minoan Marathon and managed by Greece-based Modion Maritime Management; and Capesize Sea Poseidon, now sailing as Sea Lyra under Chinese ownership.

Despite this wave of secondhand sales, Seatankers continues to expand through a major newbuilding programme in China, comprising 10 bulk carriers: six Newcastlemaxes and four Kamsarmaxes. All newbuilds are under construction at China Merchants Industry Qingdao Shipyard.

SFL Corp also divesting

John Fredriksen’s SFL Corp has similarly been divesting bulk carriers. In its Q2 financial report, published in mid-August, the company disclosed ownership of 14 bulk carriers.

However, it decided to sell all older Supramax vessels, and eight older Capesize vessels were redelivered to Golden Ocean after the quarter’s end, in line with charter agreements.

SFL Corp is now listed with three bulk carriers – two Kamsarmaxes and one Supramax, all built in 2012. One of them, Supramax SFL Humber, was reportedly sold in July along with 2011-built SFL Kate to undisclosed owners. SFL Kate has already been renamed Maryam, confirming the accuracy of the reports.

Although SFL Corp is a separate entity from Seatankers, it remains “within the family” and reflects a broader trend in John Fredriksen’s dry bulk strategy: divesting vessels across all sizes and age groups.