Hayfin today announces that it has signed a contract with Oshima Shipbuilding and Sumisho Marine to construct two new-build 100,000-DWT Post-Panamax dry bulk carrier ships. The vessels, once constructed, will be deliver to an international energy trader on a long-term charter. The project will be funded through Hayfin’s Maritime Yield strategy and underlines the firm’s commitment to the Japanese shipping market, as both an asset-owner and long-term charter provider. The vessels will be managed by Hayfin’s in-house ship management platform, Greenheart Shipping. 

The vessels will be constructed at Oshima Shipyard in the Nagasaki Prefecture of south-western Japan and completion is expected to take place within 2026. The vessels will be built to world-leading standards of quality and fuel efficiency, differentiating them from the majority of the current global Panamax fleet that is expected to be non-compliant with International Maritime Organisation sustainability regulations in three years’ time. With just two Japanese shipyards currently building Post-Panamax vessels, contributing to a historically low global orderbook, Hayfin was able to secure these two highly sought-after slots at one of the world’s leading dry bulk specialists through its longstanding relationships with key stakeholders in the Japanese market. 

Andreas Povlsen, Head of Maritime at Hayfin, said: “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.” 

Hayfin recently announced a successful fundraise for its Maritime Yield strategy, equipping the firm with the capacity to acquire $1 billion in shipping assets through equity and debt financing, with a focus on top-specification assets that generate predictable and uncorrelated cash yields from blue-chip counterparties. Having been active in Japan since 2015, Hayfin also opened its Tokyo office last year, led by Tomohiro Hosogaya, the firm’s Head of Japan.