These are interesting times for Uni-Asia, the Singapore-listed diverse conglomerate with interests in hotels, property and shipping. The first two strands of the business are clearly propping the maritime division, but also allowing Uni-Asia to position itself for any uptick in its chosen sector, handysize bulkers.

Michio Tanamoto, chairman and CEO of the company, reckons that handies could make a comeback in 2017, hence why he's keen to pen a series of contracts for a few Japanese newbuilds soon.

"The handysize market has been slow due to coal trade volumes in China, new tonnage and the supply/demand gap," Tanamoto concedes. However, of the roughly 3,200 handies in the market, he points out that 16% are over 20 years old and 30% over 15 years old.

"I don't expect volumes to pick up the market but scrapping of these older vessels should provide a recovery sometime in 2017," he said.

Uni-Asia was founded in 1997 by three Japanese bankers, two in Hong Kong and Tanamoto in Singapore. Initially the company started out providing finance to shipping as well as building up a property and hotels empire. In 2003, it made its first foray into shipping investment. Nowadays the fleet is made up of 15 bulkers, five containerships and two product tankers. Of this total, 13 are in joint ventures and the rest 100% owned.