The 36,000-dwt Alkyon (built 2015) is a humble, run-of-the-mill bulker that looks destined for a spell in the spotlight. The vessel’s arrest in the UK's Port of Tyne has become a cause celebre as it is the focus of controversy over shipbroker valuations.

The issue has only really come into the public domain because of a legal dispute in London, although there have been other little-reported court cases in the US that have raised similar concerns.