Oman Shipping Co (OSC) appears to have made another move to bolster its presence in the ultramax bulker sector by buying two ships from Scorpio Bulkers and Tufton Oceanic.

The Muscat-based company was widely reported this week to have paid Scorpio Bulkers $18.5m for the 63,000-dwt bulker SBI Taurus (built 2015).

Brokers also said the company bought the 63,000-dwt bulker TR Omaha (built 2014) is said to have been acquired from Tufton Oceanic for $17.5m.

Both ships were built in China, with the SBI Taurus constructed at Chengxi Shipyard and the Tufton ship a product of Jiangsu Hantong Ship Heavy Industry.

Reports that the company has also acquired Tufton Oceanic's 63,000-dwt TR Niklas (built 2014) are understood to be incorrect

The SBI Taurus is due for special survey in May, but broking sources suggest this docking need not be very costly for a vessel its age.

OSC has been very open about its plans to invest in ultramax bulkers, which it wants to handle Oman’s exports gypsum and limestone.

It previously set up a chartering desk at its headquarters in Muscat to secure tonnage and last July acquired a pair of 64,000-dwt newbuildings under construction at Zhoushan Changhong International Shipyard in China.

Two delivered

The vessels were delivered last August and September as the Jabal Almisht and Jabal Shams.

However, a deal to acquire two 2014-built ultramaxes from Japan’s Nisshin Shipping that was widely reported last August did not reach conclusion. The ships continue to trade under Nisshin ownership.

OSC will have a dry bulk fleet comprising of four ultramaxes and four very large ore carriers once all three purchases have been delivered.

The bulkers are a small part of OSC's overall fleet, which comprises mainly of VLCCs, product tankers and large gas carriers.

OSC is in the midst of a major expansion drive that is seeing the company both expand its fleet and diversify its business horizons by putting more emphasis on its dry-bulk and regional container divisions.

Bulkers

Oman Shipping Co beefs up in ultramax sector with two bulker buys