Shipbrokers believe the Nasdaq-quoted owner is close to securing the 179,100-dwt Conches (built 2011).

A price of around $53m is being placed on the ship, which is attached to a $26,000 per day charter with SwissMarine which runs until January 2015.

Repeated attempts to contact DryShips for comment on the pending purchase were unsuccessful during the European business day on Thursday.

In January this year the vessel was thought to have been bought by Knightsbridge Tankers, a company which is set to become the largest capesize owner on Wall Street.

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