Jutha returns to Higaki

Thailand shipping company Jutha Maritime is set to return to Higaki Shipbuilding, Imabari, Japan for another multi-purpose cargo vessel. Currently the firm owns seven vessels, two of which, JUTHA VASANA and JUTHA BUDDHACHART, are 8,976 dwt sisters built at the Japanese yard in 2000 and 1999 respectively.

The new order is for a larger multi-purpose vessel of 11,700 dwt.

The last newbuilds gained the company tax breaks from the Thailand Board of Investment, exempting them from paying import duty on machinery, and exemption from corporate income tax and tax on dividends for eight years. These tax breaks end this year for BUDDHACHART and in 2008 for VASANA.