Energy News Beat
Ship sales have been limited in June, with prices coming down by and large. According to Clarksons Research, secondhand prices have been easing since the third quarter of last year, with Clarksons’ five-year-old tanker and five-year-old bulker indices now down 16% and 14% respectively since August last year.
Starting with dry bulk, broker Gibson suggested the current environment, marked by consistent pricing, a steady flow of candidates, and renewed buying interest, is providing a more transparent landscape for both buyers and sellers.
Bulker sales have fallen once again in June year-on-year with 32 sales reported by VesselsValue so far this month, compared to 66 in June 2024.
Bulker values fell across almost all sub sectors and age categories in the month of June with values for 10-year-old panamax bulkers of 80,000 dwt decreasing the most, down by 5.05% month-on-month to $22.19m.
Headline S&P bulker transactions include 12-year-old, Japanese-built Santa Graciela kamsarmax, sold for a punchy $18.6m, while the 21-year-old Partagas was sold to Chinese interests for $14.8m.
Tanker sales have also fallen when compared to the same period last year with 28 sales reported by VesselsValue in June 2025, compared to 48 in June 2024. Tanker values remained relatively stable across most sectors. However, older 15-year-old VLCCs of 310,000 dwt saw values fall by 2.56% month-on-month to $53.31m.
Among key transactions, the sale of the seven-year-old, 319,200 dwt Papalemos made headlines in particular.
The scrubber-fitted tanker was picked up by DHT for $107m, pricing a seven-year-old at less than $20m below the cost of a newbuild replacement, albeit with delivery not until 2028. If a $125m newbuild depreciates by 5% per year it would produce a price below $90m with broker Hartland explaining: “This deal underlines the scarcity of modern tonnage and the premium buyers are prepared to pay to get their hands on one.”
Secondhand prices have been easing since the third quarter of last year
Heightened geopolitics combined with continued strong demand for tonnage versus low availability ensured container rates and values remained at healthy levels through the month of June. Rates in the charter market generally held stable despite muted activity owing to a lack of open tonnage.
S&P liquidity was similarly tight based on 12 confirmed container sales so far, which is 55% below the five-year average, according to data from VesselsValue.
The 20-year-old, 6,350 teu Marcos V went for a solid $50m, while the 21-year-old, 1,019 teu Contship Key was sold for $10m.
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