Greek owners have spent at least $60m to secure a pair of modern, Japanese-built handysize bulkers.

The sale of the 38,100-dwt sisterships Fragrant Athena (built 2020) and Dry Beam Neo (built 2019) is the highlight of what secondhand brokers and analysts have been describing as a still vibrant sale-and-purchase scene for bulk carriers.

"Interest was once again vivid, despite the corrections noted in [dry bulk] freight earnings," analysts at Athens-based Allied Shipbroking said on 22 November.