AEC completed the discharging of 34,200 mts steel scrap at Karabiga, Turkey after a smooth sea voyage via the Strait of the Dardanelles. The cargo had been loaded in Dordrecht and Amsterdam, Holland for account Euro-Scrap Alliance BV, The Netherlands.
The performing vessel was the Handymax MV Monica P (45,667 dwat/Built 1998/ 4 x 30 mt cranes).
By mid July 2012 AEC loaded about 27,400 mts of bulk Phosrock (also called Phosphate Rock) on MV Aktea R at Puerto Boyovar, Peru for account Vale Fertilizantes S.A.
The vessel went through the Panama Canal on the 19th July and discharged part of the cargo at Maceio, North Brazil and discharging of the balance of the cargo was completed by the 16th of August in Rio Grande, South Brazil.
Phosphorus is an essential element for plant and animal nutrition. Most phosphorus is consumed as a principal component of nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium (NPK) fertilizers used on food crops throughout the world. Phosphate rock minerals are the only significant global resources of phosphorus.
Bulk Phosrock in the vessels’s cargo hold
MV Aktea R at alongside at discharing berth
Discharging Phosrock in Rio Grande
Effective from the 1st of August 2012 AEC has engaged Mr. Jesper Lollesgaard as Chartering Manager. Mr. Lollesgaard comes with decades of Drybulk Chartering experience and will work from London.
“We are pleased that Jesper has accepted to join our team and be part of our expansion plans”, says CEO Lars-Peter Madsen. “Jesper is adding a wealth of experience and knowhow to our company and we expect that the London location will be a strategical advantage for AEC and benefit our Chartering activitites going forward.”
AEC has effective from the 9th of July 2012 engaged Mr. Thomas P. Mayr to work with and control the company’s risk profile, including the various related derrivatives. Mr. Mayr has extensive knowledge in the area, and its instruments, from various international shipping and commodities companies.
“We know Tom for many years and have also worked directly with him in the past. His profound knowledge and thoroughness has gained great respect over the years.” say CEO Lars-Peter Madsen.
Friday the 25th of May 2012 – NGP Natural Resources X, L.P. (NGP – www.ngpenergycapital.com) and Agriculture & Energy Carriers (AEC – www.aecarriers.com) have announced that, as of May 23, 2012, NGP has acquired AEC.
NGP is part of a family of natural resources focused private equity funds with over $13 billion of committed capital under management since inception in 1988. AEC – already an established specialist in commercial relationships involving ocean-transported commodities – is now well-positioned to expand the size and scope of its business, and to spearhead possible mergers and acquisitions as well as direct vessel investments on a global basis.
Effective immediately, Lars-Peter Madsen has been appointed Chief Executive Officer of AEC.
“We are immensely pleased with our new equity structure and the inevitable growth opportunities that it represents,” said Madsen. “NGP is a brand-name natural resources industry investor that has consistently driven value for its operating partners.”
“AEC now has an expanded platform that will generate proprietary opportunities as we continue to attract and develop the highest-quality business partners,” added Madsen.
Eduardo SaFreitas has been appointed AEC’s Chief Financial Officer.
“NGP’s confidence in us sends a strong message throughout the industry. We are now perfectly situated to capitalize our operations and create exceptional value for further investment,” said SaFreitas.
“Our investment in AEC provides the catalyst for this world class management team to effectively grow and transform their shipping platform,” said Mark Zenuk, an NGP Managing Director. “We look forward to working with AEC on future investment opportunities.”
MV Oriental Harmony loaded a full cargo of Bulk Petcoke for Messrs Garcia Munte at the Valero Terminal in Houston, Texas, USA and discharged the cargo in Huelva, Spain.
The Valero Houston Refinery began operations in 1942 and has gone through numerous modifications and expansions. The refinery is a mid-sized plant with a total throughput capacity of 160,000 barrels per day and produces a wide range of petroleum products. Valero acquired the Houston refinery when it purchased Basis Petroleum from Salomon Inc. in 1997. The refenery is located on the Houston Ship Channel.
MV Oriental Harmony is a 35,196 mt dwat Bulk Carrier, Built 2011, with five hold/hatches and 4 x 30 mts cranes.
Valero Houston Refinery
Bulk Petcoke
MV Oriental Harmony
Berdyansk is located in the Sea of Azoz. The access from the Mediterranean Sea is via Bosporous Strait (Turkey) through the Black Sea and then via Kerchensky Strait into the Sea of Azov.
The Kerch Canal (Kerchensky Strait) has a draft restriction of only 7.8 meters.
Antracite is extracted directly from the mines and contains a high proportion of carbon, low volitility and low sulphur content, which give it excellent properties for use in reductions processes or as source of energy.
AEC compeleted the discharging in Ghent of the approximately 22,000 mts of Bulk Anthracite on the 11th of May 2012.
Bulk Anthracite
Loading at Berdyansk Flag
Discharging at Ghent
MV Four Diamond, a 34,053 dwat Bulk Carrier, loaded a full cargo of shredded scrap, stowing about 50 cbf/mt, at Liverpool for account Messrs S. Norton to Alexandria.
The very fine scredded scrap (see picture below) and proper handling of the cargo ensured a trouble-free operation without any kind of stevedore damages to the vessel in loading and discharging
Loading of shredded scrap with hatchcover protection
Shredded scrap in cargo hold
Apart from running a regular wheat program from Argentina and Uruguay to Brazil, AEC also carry wheat loaded in northern France.
MV Four Diamond, a 34,053 dwat Bulk Carrier, loads wheat at Rouen for account Messrs Lecureur, France destined for Casablanca, Morrocco.
MV Irini F, a 42,264 dwat Bulk Carrier, also loads wheat at Rouen, France for account Messrs Bunge, Switzerland destined for Algeria
View of Rouen City
Casablanca or Dar El Bayda (“the white house”)
City of Bejaia, Algeria
AEC has extensive internal knowhow and support concerning the supply of wheat to the Brazilian Wheat Mills. In the early 1990’s professionals, now working for AEC, penetrated the Argentina-Brazil wheat trade to become the first to represent a foreign carrier shipping bulk wheat cargoes from Argentina to Brazil. The volume shipped grew rapidly to become the largest carrier of wheat Argentina-Brazil.
Now AEC is solid in that trade and has scheduled two vessels to load bulk wheat at the River Plate, one vessel in Nueva Palmira and two vessels in Bahia Blanca. The vessels are discharging at several different ports in Brazil. The five vessels are loading a total of about 145,000 mts of bulk wheat.
The latest vessel scheduled being the MV Western Maple,
a 32,493 Deadweight Single Deck Bulk Carrier, Built 2010 (Headowners: Western Bulk Carriers AS, Oslo, Norway).
