Chinese dry bulk heavyweight Agricore has divested one of its older assets, offloading the 14-year-old kamsarmax bulker ASL Venus in a move that underscores its ongoing strategy to modernize and upscale its fleet.
According to multiple shipbroking sources, the 82,000 dwt vessel, built in 2011 at Tsuneishi Zhoushan, was sold for approximately $14.5m. This marks Agricore’s first reported sale of 2025. The ASL Venus, formerly known as Rosco Palm, was acquired by Agricore in April 2022 for around $26m.
Founded in 2016, Agricore has rapidly emerged as a significant player in China’s dry bulk sector, particularly in the capesize segment. The company currently manages a fleet of 22 vessels, including eight capesize ships, and remains active in both the secondhand and newbuilding markets.
Fleet intelligence from VesselsValue shows that Agricore has sold 13 vessels and acquired 16 over recent years.The company has eight bulk carriers on order at Chinese shipyards, spanning ultramax to newcastlemax sizes.
