The John Fredriksen led company has agreed an aggregate price of $86.65m for the 80,000-dwt Golden Excellence and Golden Explorer and the 176,000-dwt Golden Nantong.
The original contract price has not been disclosed but the discount is more than $10m although the company is only prepared to say the reduction is “substantial.”
Five and ten year charters are lined up for the two Kamsarmaxes from delivery by Zhoushan Jinhaiwan Shipyard (Jinhai) but the capesize under construction at the same yard is expected to trade on the spot market.
The three vessels are now for delivery in the fourth quarter of 2012.
There has been analyst speculation that Golden Ocean would cancel all or part of its newbuilding programme which runs to ten vessels all but one under construction at Jinhai. The remaining contract is for a panamax newbuilding at India’s Pipavav yard.
