South Korean cement carrier specialist, Techmarine has entered the container segment, after acquiring two feeder vessels from Bank of Communications Financial Leasing (Bocomm Leasing).
The company confirmed that it bought the 908TEU sister ships, Shecan (ex CSCL Nagoya) and Hecan (ex CSCL Yokohama), built in 2008 and 2009, respectively.
VesselsValue indicates that the purchases were made in March, and the ships, which were each bought for US$5.7 million, were handed to Techmarine in June.
Constructed by the Chinese ship builder, Nanjing Wujiazui Shipbuilding, the vessels were owned by the tonnage provider, Greathorse International Ship Management, which had chartered the vessels to China Shipping Container Lines, which now is part of COSCO Shipping Lines) on a long-term basis. In 2019, Greathorse sold the vessels to Bocomm Leasing to obtain more financing.
Hecan and Shecan have been chartered to compatriot liner operators Pan Ocean and Namsung Shipping, respectively.
Technical and crewing management of the ships is handled by a third-party South Korean ship management company, Hana Shipping, a subsidiary of Korea Marine Transport Company (KMTC Line).
While VesselsValue indicated that Techmarine has also acquired CSCL Osaka, another sister vessel of Hecan and Shecan, a company representative told Container News that this purchase is still being discussed.
Techmarine owns four cement carriers that are long-term chartered to Lafarge Halla Cement, a joint venture between French cement giant Lafarge Holcim and South Korean cement producer Halla Cement Corporation.
Martina Li
Asia Correspondent
