In a brief statement the company said only that the pair hadmutually agreed to tear up the contract because of the yard’s difficulties.

STX Pan Ocean as it was called then ordered the 31,000-dwt vesselin May 2012 at a cost of $80m as it sought to strengthen its toehold in theheavylift market.

The owner has two similar vessels on its books including one24,000-dwt unit delivered by STX Dalian in 2012.