{"id":79471,"date":"2025-11-26T00:06:16","date_gmt":"2025-11-26T00:06:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sms-bridges.com\/staging\/?p=79471"},"modified":"2025-11-26T03:00:41","modified_gmt":"2025-11-26T03:00:41","slug":"belships-deepens-partnership-with-japan-as-new-chapter-begins","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sms-bridges.com\/staging\/belships-deepens-partnership-with-japan-as-new-chapter-begins\/","title":{"rendered":"Belships deepens partnership with Japan as new chapter begins"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Belships, a Norwegian dry bulk shipping company with more than 100 years of maritime history, is eyeing fleet expansion with Japanese shipyards while maintaining its strategic focus. For over 40 years the company has maintained a partnership with Japan that continues to anchor its strategy under new private ownership.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Ivar Hansson Myklebust<\/strong>, Chief Executive Officer of Belships<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt was clear to us that building on the company\u2019s long history and long track record in the Japanese market would be a cornerstone of Belships\u2019 strategy going forward,\u201d CEO Ivar Hansson Myklebust said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since 2019, Belships has expanded and modernized its fleet through close collaboration with key partners across Japan\u2019s maritime ecosystem, from shipbuilders and financiers to operators.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This year, Belships became privately owned through EnTrust Global\u2019s Blue Ocean Funds and the F. Laeisz Group.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe new owners based their investment in Belships on the excellent market position of the company within the dry bulk segment,\u201d Myklebust explained. \u201cThe change of ownership does not come with a change in strategy or direction.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With a new board and strong financial backing, Belships aims to strengthen its market position. \u201cYou should not expect any major changes,\u201d Myklebust added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As the operational and commercial challenges with alternative fuels are gradually solved, we are confident that the Japanese shipbuilding community will have the best technical solutions available for customers like Belships.<\/p>Ivar Hansson Myklebust<\/strong>, Chief Executive Officer of Belships<\/mark><\/cite><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n

\n
\"\"<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

At the heart of Belships\u2019 expansion are 12 Ultramax new builds under construction at Japanese shipyards, including Imabari Shipbuilding. Deliveries are set to take place between 2025 and 2028 and got underway last month in Imabari with the successful handover of the Belfortune \u2014 the first of many new vessels that will reinforce the company\u2019s commitment to Japanese partnership. Belships operates one of the largest and youngest Ultramax fleets globally, recognized by first-class cargo owners and operators.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Ivar Hansson Myklebust<\/strong> (center) at the Belfortune handover in Imabari | All photos: Belships<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Japanese-built vessels are very commercially attractive from the customers\u2019 point of view and offer us as owners consistency and reliability from an operational quality perspective,\u201d Myklebust said. \u201cWe will do our utmost to retain and expand our existing business relations in Japan.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n

As the maritime industry moves toward decarbonization, Myklebust highlighted Japan\u2019s pioneering role in fuel-efficient ship design. Belships\u2019 modern fleet already offers some of the most fuel-efficient and low-emission options using conventional fuels. Existing vessels can run on biofuels, and new builds will have flexibility to use more alternative fuels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n

However, alternative fuel availability poses difficulties for smaller dry bulk vessels calling at ports where fuel logistics remain underdeveloped.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAs the operational and commercial challenges with alternative fuels are gradually solved, we are confident that the Japanese shipbuilding community will have the best technical solutions available for customers like Belships,\u201d Myklebust concluded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

www.belships.com<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Belships, a Norwegian dry bulk shipping company with more than 100 years of maritime history, is eyeing fleet expansion with Japanese shipyards while maintaining its strategic focus. For over 40 years the company has maintained a partnership with Japan that continues to anchor its strategy under new private ownership. \u201cIt was clear to us that […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":79515,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advgb_blocks_editor_width":"","advgb_blocks_columns_visual_guide":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[899,292,259,148,611,123],"tags":[506],"class_list":{"0":"post-79471","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-899","8":"category-articles","9":"category-bridging-japan","10":"category-norway","11":"category-shipping-logistics-norway","12":"category-shipping-logistics","13":"tag-industrial"},"yoast_head":"\nBelships deepens partnership with Japan as new chapter begins - Bridges Magazine<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/sms-bridges.com\/staging\/belships-deepens-partnership-with-japan-as-new-chapter-begins\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Belships deepens partnership with Japan as new chapter begins - Bridges Magazine\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Belships, a Norwegian dry bulk shipping company with more than 100 years of maritime history, is eyeing fleet expansion with Japanese shipyards while maintaining its strategic focus. 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