Belgian owner Ebe has been unveiled as the buyer of the 2020-built newcastlemax that Norway’s 2020 Bulkers agreed to sell earlier this week.

The deal marks a double milestone for the Basile Aloy-led owner—its first purchase of a Chinese-built ship and its first move into large bulkers in nearly a decade.

“This will be our first Chinese-built vessel， and certainly not the last，” said chief executive Aloy， adding: “Over the past years， we’ve been following the evolution of Chinese shipyards closely and have seen their quality rise remarkably.”

S&P data shows Ebe， which until now has relied exclusively on Japanese-built ships， last entered the larger bulker classes in May 2016 with the $26.5m acquisition of an Imabari-built capesize.

The 208，000 dwt Bulk Sao Paulo was sold by the Oslo-listed Tor Olav Trøim-founded owner for $72.75m. The company will retain the vessel’s operating cashflow until the transaction closes， expected in the first quarter of 2026.

The sale extends 2020 Bulkers’ ongoing divestment strategy. The company recently sold three other newcastlemaxes to Oman’s Asyad Shipping for $209m， and two 2019-built vessels last year for $127.5m.

Once the Bulk Sao Paulo changes hands， the company will be left with just two newcastlemaxes from its original eight-vessel fleet. The latest deal is expected to generate a net book gain of about $29m on completion.