Castor offloads another boxship 

Cyprus-based shipowner Castor Maritime has announced its second containership sale. The Nasdaq-listed company is offloading the 2005-built 2,700 teu Gabriela A for $19.3m at a net gain of $0.8m.

Castor picked up the German-built boxship, with charter attached, in a family-related deal from Ismini Panagiotidi-controlled Pavimar Shipping for $25.38m in late 2022 when it made its entry into the containership segment. Delivery to the new undisclosed owner is expected in the first half of 2025.

The sale follows a recently struck $16.5m deal with an unaffiliated third party for the sister vessel Ariana A, for which the company will book a loss of about $3.3m. Castor currently owns 13 vessels, comprising 10 bulk carriers and three containerships, including the duo agreed for sale.

Earlier this month, the Petros Panagiotidis-led company spent nearly $193m to acquire a majority stake in Frankfurt-listed MPC Münchmeyer Petersen Capital (MPC Capital), the founder and cornerstone shareholder of Oslo-listed tonnage provider MPC Container Ships with a fleet of 63 vessels.