The Hamburg-based shipping company Ernst Russ is expanding its activities in MPP shipping. Two F500 type vessels of the fleet of the Dship Carriers, also based in Hamburg, change hands.
The “Ronnie” and “Charlie”, built in 2021 and 2022, are intended to further advance the strategic development of the fleet, announced the publicly traded shipping company, whose largest shareholder is the Peter Döhle shipping group. The transaction underlines the company’s ambition to grow sustainably in selected segments.
The 12,500-tonne “Ronnie” and “Charlie” of type F500 were part of a series of newbuildings for Dship that were built in China. They will continue to operate for the Hamburg-based shipping company from the Deugro logistics group. This is because Ernst Russ has agreed a charter with a term of seven years. “This secured employment for both ships strengthens the Group’s long-term revenue base, increases the visibility of future cash flows and underlines the sustainable and predictable nature of the investment,” it continues. “As modern units, the ships also make a significant contribution to the rejuvenation and future viability of the Ernst Russ Group’s entire shipping fleet.”
Both ships are due to be handed over in the first quarter of 2026. The purchase price and charter rate were not disclosed.
“With this deal, we are further developing our portfolio in a targeted manner and increasing our exposure in an attractive segment. The current market situation with limited supply and robust demand offers a solid basis for sustainable earnings,” said Joseph Schuchmann, Co-CEO and Chief Commercial Officer at Ernst Russ.
Parts of the shipping company’s history date back to 1893. The Group currently manages a fleet of 25 ships, some of which it operates with strategic partners, and has ordered two further ships. The focus is on container ships in the 700 to 4,200 TEU size classes, supplemented by a larger container ship with around 13,400 TEU as well as a handysize bulker and a multipurpose ship. The new ships ordered – with a partner – are the first newbuild investment in decades. Most recently, the proportion of ships already in service was increased as part of a strategic realignment.
