Seaborne transport, which accounts for 85 percent of global trade, has seen a tentative recovery in the rates shippers charge to carry dry-bulk cargoes, which has encouraged buyers to jump at the bargain prices for second-hand vessels.

Nearly 560 such dry-cargo ships, which as a class make up half the world's merchant fleet, have changed hands in deals worth $4.3bn up to the end of November, data from shipbroker Clarkson showed, the highest number since 2009.

"We've seen a lot of interest from Asian buyers in 10-15 year old ships, which is partly due to the surge in rates," said Ziad Nakhleh, managing director of Greek owner Teo Shipping Corporation. "Mineral demand from China is one of the bright spots for dry bulk."

Teo Shipping has put a 15-year-old 74,107-dwt Panamax bulk carrier called the Cretan Wave up for sale at a price tag of $4.65m, according to the nautisnp.com website. It is one of thousands of dry cargo ships on the market at traditional and online brokers.

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