Europe’s shipping investor Hayfin Capital Management has signed a contract with Oshima Shipbuilding and Sumisho Marine to construct two 100,000 dwt Post-Panamax dry bulk carriers.
Once constructed, the ships will be delivered to an unnamed international energy trader on a long-term charter. The vessels will be managed by Hayfin’s in-house ship management platform, Greenheart Shipping, and funded through Hayfin’s Maritime Yield strategy.
Hayfin said that it was able to secure two ‘highly sought-after slots’ at Oshima Shipyard, one of the two Japanese shipyards currently building Post-Panamax vessels at a time of a historically low global orderbook. The shipyard is set to deliver the duo within 2026.
As disclosed, the vessels will be built to the latest quality and fuel efficiency standards in line with the IMO sustainability regulations. Hyfin said that this will give the ships a competitive edge over the majority of the current global Panamax fleet that is expected to be non-compliant with IMO sustainability regulations in three years.
“This transaction is another sign of our firm commitment to the Japanese market and demonstrates the kind of attractive asset exposure we can offer to investors through our Maritime Yield strategy; combining fuel-efficient assets and long-term charters to investment-grade counterparties against a supportive long-term market backdrop with consistent tonne-mile growth and a fleet in urgent need of renewal, ” Andreas Povlsen , Head of Maritime at Hayfin, said.
The contract is being announced on the heels of Hayfin’s recent fundraising for its Maritime Yield strategy. The firm now has the capacity to acquire $1 billion in shipping assets.
The company has invested in excess of $3 billion across the various sectors – dry bulk, tankers, containers, LPG, and LNG.
The latest investment saw an order for up to four ‘enhanced methanol ready’ Suezmax tankers at South Korean shipbuilder Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI).
The contract includes two firm 158,000-dwt tankers and options for two more sister vessels with the delivery of the firm units scheduled for the first half of 2026.