Golden Ocean will break from the pure expansion script of most listed bulker owners and become both a buyer and a seller of ships, its chief executive says.

TradeWinds understands that the John Fredriksen-controlled company is paying close to $99m for three 2012-built kamsarmaxes from Active Shipping of Singapore.

Chief executive Herman Billung declines to comment on the price, the identity of the seller or the vessels in question.