Capesize (Atlantic and Pacific)
Downtrend all over the week with rates under pressure in all areas. The voyage rate from West Australia/China is now around $12.00. Many ships ballasting to the Atlantic and, together with more early ships coming open in the Atlantic, pushed rates for Brazil/China under $30.00. Ponta Da Madeira/Qingdao cargo rumoured done at $28.00. Little activity for trans-Atlantic. BCI ended this week at 4030 points (- 14.4%) from previous Friday and 4 tc routes average at usd 38,923 / day (- usd 8,996 i.e. 18.8%).
Panamax (Atlantic and Pacific)
Atlantic rates continued to fall away over the week with trans-Atlantic rounds now just about in the upper teens. In spite of a considerable number of fixtures concluded only few of them got the subjects. Front haul business was again limited with rates now in the upper $20,000 daily range. Rates slipped in the East with levels barely in the mid $16,000 daily for round voyages. Also in Pacific there were a considerable number of vessels fixed and failed on subjects. Overall the volume of fixing was low and several vessels did go for in-house cargoes. Period rates slipped, little was reported done although one LME came close to fixing two years at $17,500 daily.
Handy (Far East/Pacific)
The large availability of tonnage still faced a poor chartering demand, which generated a new rate decrease. Supramax North Pacific round time charter rates were initially reported at usd 15,000 level, then fell progressively through the week and rate is now said to be in the usd 12,000 level. Local trips were even worse and activity from Australia was very scarce. Smaller handies as usual proved to be a little less affected. In the general atmosphere a few charterers managed to book tonnage for short period at low rate.
Handy (North Europe/Mediterranean)
Owners found the best market in these regions where a fresh flow of grain enquiries for loading out of the Black Sea, in connection with the small availability of tonnage close enough to these areas, pushed rates up. The chartering demand stayed strong from Northern Europe with fresh interest for scrap loading. Tonnage kept missing in this area and charterers still booked their vessels with delivery in the Mediterranean at stronger rates.
Handy (USA/N.Atlantic/Lakes/S.America)
Rates kept similar to last done levels from the USG with a regular enough flow of demand which allowed a general stability, but not strong enough to show any better fixtures concluded. A larger demand for suprmaxes to load from South America into Middle and Far East generated a fresh line up of concluded fixtures, although the firmer ones were said to be due to positional reasons than to a real increase in the trend. Owners of handyies experienced a much weaker demand which ended up into a general decrease on rates.
Handy (Indian Ocean/South Africa)
Fewer enquiries to load iron ore from India to China led to some new fixtures being concluded at lower rates. In connection with a tonnage built up in the area, charterers involved with the South Africa/India coal trade were the first to enjoy much cheaper fixing. No enquiry for Atlantic destinations was seen.
Banchero Costa and Co Spa
Mail: research@bancosta.it
Web: www.bancosta.it