Hamburg Bulk Carriers Takes 11 Bulkers under Its Wing
German handysize operator Hamburg Bulk Carriers (HBC) has added 11 bulk carriers originating from the German banking sector to their 3rd party management business.
The latest addition to the fleet is comprised of bulk carriers ranging between 53,000 and 82,000 dwt, supplementing the traditional HBC fleet within the handy bulk segment. The identity of the previous owners of the ships has not been revealed.
The company said it would operate the vessels on a fee basis acting as a commercial manager not a charterer.
“At the beginning of the financial crisis, we were not the first point of contact for banks who were searching for external ship managers. This is perhaps because we seem at a first glance like a traditional tramp shipping company,” says Felix Knick, Managing Director of the HBC Group in Singapore.
”However upon closer inspection it becomes clear that the HBC group is characterized by long-term contracts and direct ties to the beneficial cargo owners. Against this background, we are often able to deploy the ships with a greater flexibility, even ships in segments that are still suffering from overcapacity,” adds Knick.
The HBC Group was founded in Hamburg in 1999 and specializes in ship owning, managing and operating on spot and time charter basis a fleet of bulk carriers.
