Cement carrier owner Azuma Shipping has posted a smaller profit in the nine months to 31 December.

The Japanese company said the net deficit was JPY 403m ($3.71m), compared to JPY 526m the year before.

The seven vessels brought in revenue of JPY 31.74bn, against JPY 30.8bn in 2017.

The forecast for the full year to 31 March is for profit of JPY 418m, down from JPY 549m in the previous 12 months.