Safe Bulkers buys again

Safe Bulkers has taken its 2010 newbuilding tally to three with an order for a panamax bulker in China.

Polys Hajioannou.

It has contracted the 76,000-dwt ship at a “favourable” price, it told investors Monday.

UK shipbroker Clarksons presently values similar newbuildings at around $40m.

Safe will take delivery of the ship in 2013, it says, without offering further details.

The order takes the New York-listed owner’s fleet to 22 vessels, including seven newbuildings.

Loukas Barmparis, president of Safe, says the company is still on the hunt for more tonnage.

“We will continue to seek to invest in high quality vessels at attractive prices in order to expand our fleet and our earning capability,” he said in a statement.

In April Safe ordered two kamsarmax newbuildings in China, after raising $80m from shareholders.

It is paying $32.2m each for the 82,000-dwt vessels, which will be delivered in the fourth quarter of 2011 and the first quarter of 2012.

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