Navios Maritime Containers buys 4,360-TEUer for US$11.5 million

     Navios Maritime Containers, a growth vehicle dedicated to the container sector based in the Marshall Islands, has acquired the Navios Felicitas, a 2010-built, 4,360-TEU ship for US$11.45 million.

    The vessel was delivered to Navios Containers' fleet in December 2017. The company financed the acquisition of the vessel with cash on its balance sheet and $6 million of bank debt under one of its existing credit facilities, New York's Maritime Logistics Professional reported.

    Following this acquisition, Navios Containers controls 21 vessels, totalling 88,820 TEU.

    Last month, it took delivery of four 2008-built Panamax containerships, which have been employed on charters with a net daily charter rate of $27,156. Navios Containers acquired the four 4,730-TEU ships for a total purchase price of $96.8 million.

Mexican port volume up 12.2pc to 6.37 million TEU in 2017

   Mexican major port container volume increased 12.2 per cent year on year to 6,375,338 million TEU in 2017 for the first time in history, according to Mexico's Secretariat of Communications and Transportation (SCT).

    Terminals on the Pacific lifted 4,324,051 TEU, a year-on-year increase of 9.8 per cent with the Port of Manzanillo leading the National Port System with 2,830,370 TEU, up 9.8 per cent, reported Colchester's Seatrade Maritime News.

    Lazaro Cardenas saw a three per cent increase coming in at 1,149,079 TEU, ahead of Ensenada in third place on the Pacific, with 230,185 TEU, up 20 per cent.

    Gulf of Mexico ports lifted 2,051,287 TEU, up 17.6 per cent in 2017 year on year. Veracruz was up 15.7 per cent to 1,117,304 TEU, while Altamira volume increased 17.3 per cent to 803,222 TEU.

    "Mexico is doing well because of the automotive industry with new plants that have consolidated production volumes," said SSA Mexico commercial director Iker Allison.

    SSA Mexico runs terminals in Manzanillo, Vera Cruz, Acapulco, Progreso, Cozumel, Lazaro Cardenas and Tuxpan.

    "Growth will continue since new plants will come on lines with BMW in 2019 in San Luis de Potosi. Volume will continue increasing during 2018 probably at the same pace," said Mr Allison.

    The Port of Amsterdam's transhipment volumes amounted to 81.3 million tonnes in 2017, an increase of 2.5 per cent over 2016, on the back of positive economic conditions.

    Add to that cargo volumes from other seaports in the North Sea Canal area and transhipment cargo hit an all-time high of 100.8 million tonnes, reported Dry Bulk Magazine online.

    In Ijmuiden in northern Holland, transhipment rose by seven per cent to 18.5 million tonnes. Beverwijk registered transhipment growth of six per cent to 800,000 tonnes, while volumes at Zaanstad increased by 35 per cent to 300,000 tonnes.

    According to the Port of Amsterdam, the uptick in cargo volumes was mainly due to higher transhipment of oil products and agribulk. Oil products were up four per cent to 44.4 million tonnes and agribulk grew by five per cent to 8.3 million tonnes. Other wet bulk cargo, such as chemical base products, decreased by 27 per cent to 2.2 million tonnes.

    Last year transhipment container volumes remained at the same level as 2016 at 600,000 tonnes or TEU 56 191. Ro/ro and other mixed cargo volumes rose 11 per cent to 1.9 million tonnes in 2017. Imports at the port of Amsterdam were up four per cent last year to 50.9 million tonnes, while exports were unchanged from 2016 at 30.4 million tonnes.

    Port of Amsterdam CEO Koen Overtoom said: 'The record transhipment in 2017 for the region confirms our strong position in wet and dry bulk and agricultural products. The North Sea Canal ports play a vital role in the international trade of these products.

    "We will strengthen this activity and at the same time attract other cargo flows and business activity, for example for energy transition and the circular economy," Mr Overtoom added.

(Source:HKSG-GROUP)

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