"We saw the port restrictions allowed a lot bigger ships than were currently being used in the log trade," he said.
"That creates efficiencies of scale for the trade and for us. Also the new generation of eco bulk carriers are a lot more fuel efficient than the older ships, so we can maximise the fuel advantages of these ships on long sea passages."
Mr Heward said he expected the vessel would complete a voyage every couple of months.
Forest owners and other industry participants have been lamenting the increased volatility of the export log market this year, Peter Weblin, Rotorua-based marketing manager for forest management consultants PF Olsen, said in his latest log market analysis.
With a quarter of the year to run, the export log market has had two significant downturns, and there was little good news in September.
"China continues to dominate the market. The weakness is still directly influenced by high log inventories in China and weaker log consumption. But, in addition, a more negative outlook of economic growth, the Chinese sharemarket rout, sudden currency devaluation and weaker growth forecasts are all adversely affecting sentiment."
Log inventories in China have fallen and are reported to be below 3.5 million cubic metres - a significant reduction from the recent peak of 4.0 million in August.
But Mr Weblin said the inventory reduction was due to reduced supply rather than increased demand.
The run rate of deliveries from North America currently was reported to be less than half that of the period Jan-Jun 2015. New Zealand supply volumes have taken longer to decline, with relatively high volumes shipped in June/July.
A forced relocation of plywood mills in southern China had contributed to the reduced demand, which was expected to pick up again when the relocation programme was completed, said Mr Weblin.
And while other markets such as India and Korea had been offering up some higher at-wharf-gate log prices at some ports, significant price reductions in these markets had also occurred.
Scorpio's Mr Heward acknowledged the China trade remained volatile.
"But we expect the import volumes to pick up in the first quarter of next year. However, the demand in India is increasing quite well at the moment."
Jason Smith, TPT Forests general manager, shipping, said the India trade had been steadily increasing, but like China it was a tough market.
"The China market has been softening and logs are no different from any other commodity, like iron ore," he said.
Mr Smith said TPT Forest ran a diversified export strategy, and had ships going to both China and India every month.
Meanwhile, the long-awaited dredging programme for Port of Tauranga will begin next week.
Danish dredging company Rohde Nielsen, the successful tenderer, will begin the project aimed at deepening the shipping channels from 12.9 metres to 14.5 metres inside the harbour and 15.8 metres outside the harbour.
The dredging work represents the final building block in Port of Tauranga's five-year, $350 million capital expenditure programme in executing a strategy for the port to become a big ship capable hub port and facilitate for our exporters and importers the blue water savings provided by larger, more efficient vessels.
The first of the two trailer suction hopper dredges, Brage R, arrived in September.
This is the smaller of the two vessels and will commence work on the channel widening.
The larger of the dredging vessels, Balder R, is expected later in the year.
SV SBI Maia
¦Type: Ultramax log carrier
¦Dead weight tonnage: 61,587
¦Gross tonnage: 35,000
¦Length: 200 metres
¦Beam: 32 metres
¦Year built: 2015
