Cash buyer NKD Maritime has bought what will be the first cruiseship sold for recycling in India after lines began culling their fleets following the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The deal provides clarity on the scrap value of cruiseships sold outside the Turkish recycling market, where pricing details have largely been kept under close wraps.

NKD bid $11.65m for Jalesh Cruises’ 70,300-gt cruiseship Karnika (built 1990) through an auction held by the Bombay High Court on Wednesday.