Atlas Maritime has secured a two-year charter for its new pure car and truck carrier (PCTC), the Clean Star, at a daily rate of $80,000.
The vessel, which has a capacity of 7,000 car equivalent units (CEUs) and is scheduled for delivery in 2026, represents the fourth ship in the company’s current investment program.
Persistent risks in critical waterways, particularly the Strait of Hormuz, have driven tanker earnings to extraordinary levels, with daily rates for vessels leaving the Middle East recently surpassing $400,000.
The charterer is a leading Chinese operator, highlighting continued appetite for modern car-carrying capacity in the Asia-Europe trade lanes.
The deal comes as freight rates across the shipping sector remain under pressure from geopolitical instability.
Persistent risks in critical waterways, particularly the Strait of Hormuz, have driven tanker earnings to extraordinary levels, with daily rates for vessels leaving the Middle East recently surpassing $400,000.
While the PCTC segment operates differently from the tanker market, the broader environment of elevated insurance premiums and route diversions supports higher charter rates for specialized vessels like the Clean Star.