Taizhou-based owners are increasingly active buying veteran second­hand tonnage and are said to be behind several deals involving capesize and panamax tonnage.

Brokers say one low-profile repeat buyer is behind the purchase of a Golden Union ship and possibly more for domestic coal trading.

Late last week, Golden Union’s 76,300-dwt CIC Piraeus (built 2001) went to a mystery Chinese buyer for a reported $8m (see story page 4).