Hong Kong’s Pacific Basin has raided the secondhand bulker market, showing its dedication to Japanese-built ships.

Sales registers show that the Martin Fruergaard-led Handymax and supramax specialist has grabbed an 11-year-old scrubber-fitted ultramax, the 62,000 dwt, Oshima Shipbuilding-built Ultra Wollongong. The Hong Kong-listed owner paid $22.2m for the ship. The owner is also linked to the slightly smaller Shin Kasado Dock-built, 61,400 dwt Ultra Dynamic which was sold for some $23m in September.

The new purchase has ended a 10-month absence from the secondhand market for the owner who added eight ultramaxes in 2021.

Pacific Basin operates around 250 bulkers, of which 116 are owned, making it one of the largest shipowners in Hong Kong.