A trio of large boxships being sold by Japanese owners has drawn interest from several buyers, with interests associated with Greece's Costamare being linked to the first of the ships to be sold.

Japanese owner Shoei Kisen and its partners have sparked fierce competition among containership owners by putting the three post-panamaxes on the sales block.

The first of the vessels, the 6,350-teu MOL Partner (built 2005), was reported sold for little more than scrap-value at around $9.6m.