New stack insignia for Associated Maritime (HK)

[ZOUKI]

Recent photos of "New Peace" and "New Wisdom" seem to indicate that the venerable yellow star has disappeared from AMCL's vessels. Apparently it's been replaced by a device that seems to be a yellow letter V inside a thinner white C.

I know that Vale and China Merchants Energy - parent co. of Hong Kong Ming Wah, who now seem to be calling the shots at AMCL - have joined forces (or are about to) in a contract of affreightment for iron ore, but this deal seems a prospective one involving mainly bulkers. Additionally the V on the new insignia isn't quite the same as the V on Vale's website (I don't have a good closeup however).

All typically mysterious - can anyone out there shed light on this?

Many thanks
Bill Black

[Phil English]

Bill,

I imagine this signifies the vessels brought under the control of the new company China VLCC Co. Ltd. China VLCC was set up in 2014 as a JV between CMES and Sinotrans to own and operate the VLCC assets of CMES including those purchased from the banks after the failure of Nanjing Changjiang Tanker Co.

Brgds
Phil

[ZOUKI]

Hi Phil

Sounds like a reasonable solution to the mystery. I'll be interested to see if China VLCC is allowed to have its own website or if it will be buried somewhere among the 239 other shipowning entities.

Sorry to see CY Tung go. We handled a few AMCL ships when I was in the agency business and it was a first-class operation.

BB