We take a look at what was said in the market in the past week.
“Maybe $70m is too much based on the current market and freight rates but these are 2011 sister vessels: that’s a very, very sexy package for a deep-pocketed Greek asset player to be parting with at that price.”
A veteran shipping finance source on the alluring purchase of seven suexmaxes by Principal Maritime Holdings from Greek owners.
“Management generally wants to work directly with the banks - they baulk at giving up that prerogative.”
A finance source on US tweendecker-bulker owner TBS International which has been forced to draft in turnaround specialist Alix Partners.
“They are not earning anything like the amount of money Maersk is and won’t be able to get new money from banks for these kind of projects.”
A boxship source on Maersk’s push into 18,000-teu ships which may be too fast a pace for its rivals MSC and CMA CGM to follow.
“This will make 2010 the best in the industry’s history. The recovery has proven to be swift and all major carriers will end this year on a profitable note.”
Who’d have thought it! Alphaliner on likely bumper third-quarter profits for liner players after their Annus Horribilis last year.
“It means that the ride going forward is going to be bumpy, but in small bumps.”
ACM boss Johnny Plumbe reckons tanker markets could be a bit up and down for a while.
“It was bought from bondholders related to a bankruptcy. These are not people to run a rig.”
A spokesperson for Seadrill as the John Fredriksen company snaps up another jack-up for a mere $180m from less-than-experienced owners.
“Even people within the company do not know where money is invested. There is a saying in Germany, ‘discretion is our business’.”
A source on secretive German owner Essberger Tankers.
“Varun is not an established player in Brazil and my guess is that they are in for a costs shock.”
An offshore market source on Norway’s Varun Shipping which could be in for a few close shaves in the Brazilian market.
“These are really heavylifters.”
Norbert Kray, chief surveyor for class society GL, on growing orders for wind-turbine installation vessels.
“Brazil about local content, although that usually refers mainly to vessel assets, but it also has a positive meaning when it comes to the people. Being local is a big advantage for us and the local charterers appreciate dealing with local people. We are local guys dealing with local charterers, dealing with local authorities. It makes a difference.”
Westshore managing director Solve Hoyrem is going local south of Acapulco on the Norwegian broker’s Brazilian operation.
“We are local guys dealing with local charterers, dealing with local authorities. It makes a difference.”
Jeez, managing director of the Brazilian arm Daniel Del Rio certainly makes sure these Westshore guys are all singing from the same hymn sheet!
“It looks bad. We have to do a lot of work to get the ship back into a reasonable condition.”
Erling Moesby of Danish ro-ro specialist Nordana, manager of a ro-ro which is the centre of a dispute between its owner and charterer.
“Greenpeace finds it strange that the Public Prosecutions Department has taken action only with regard to the export of waste and has ignored the resulting environmental and health damage in Cote d’Ivoire. Greenpeace hopes that the Public Prosecutions Department will change its mind.”
Trafigura may not be out of the Probo Koala quagmire quite yet as the greens take up the fight over the alleged toxic waste dumping once again.
"As long as Iran uses front companies, cut-outs and other forms of deception to hide its illicit activities, we intend to expose this conduct and thereby counteract Iran's attempts to evade US and international sanctions."
Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Stuart Levey as the US gets up ‘n’ atom with Iran by unleashing a new batch of sanctions.
“Grinda further alleged that there are proven ties between the Russian political parties, organized crime and arms trafficking. Without elaborating, he cited the strange case of the ‘Arctic Sea’ ship in mid-2009 as “a clear example” of arms trafficking.”
A WikiLeaks cable once again throws accusations of arms smuggling at Russia and the mysterious ship Arctic Sea.
(Arctic Sea in WikiLeaks claim.)
“Since the association’s aim is to keep the good boys in and the bad boys out, it was the icing on the cake for us.”
Bahadir Tongunc, vice-president of the Turkish Shipbrokers Association, as newcomers face a grilling before entry.
