The diversified BW Group has had an active last year or so including a foray into the dry bulk market with BW Dry, acquiring Aurora Tankers in the gas carriers sector, and a major VLCC deal with DHT Holdings. “For the past 12 months there’s been a lot of progress on most fronts in the group,” Andreas Sohmen-Pao, chairman of BW tells Seatrade Maritime.

As a large, but relatively conservative shipowner, the generally low markets and values seen across various sectors in the industry, would seem to have suited BW as an investor.

“We do try to be a bit more cautious when the market is high,” Sohmen-Pao says.

“It continues to be a difficult market to read accurately. Generally speaking we have preferred to buy when asset prices are cheaper and take the pain of low income for a while. In an ideal world one would be able to invest at 11-59 just before a market turns.”

A very good example of this strategy is BW Dry founded in April 2016 and targeting vessels in the 50,000 – 90,000 dwt range.

“We saw an opportunity to acquire vessels at attractive prices knowing that the returns would likely be subdued for some time, but feeling we were buying good quality assets with a long life and feeling we could benefit from a cyclical recovery at some stage,” he explains.

The choice of the 50,000 – 90,000 dwt delineates BW Dry from Berge Bulk run by Sohmen Pao’s brother-in-law James Marshall, which operates a fleet of over 50 bulkers mainly in the capesize and very large ore carrier sectors, although it also has some handysize vessels.

“Our ambitions are very modest in the sector and it is more of a opportunistic play,” Sohmen-Pao comments.

Source:seatrade-maritime.com