Croatia's Atlantska Plovidba has refinanced five of its bulker fleet in sale-and-leaseback deals to reduce costs.

The Dubrovnik-based shipping company has signed a contract with China's AVIC International Leasing to sell the 79,000-dwt sisters AP Jadran and AP Argosy (both built 2012), it said in a filing.

The deal comes with charters back to Atlantska over five years.