Capesize (Atlantic and Pacific)
The market was flat in the Pacific and inactive in the Atlantic during last week. West Australia round voyage kept on being fixed at $7.60. The list of ships sitting in Singapore was still far from being cleared. Fronthaul requirements were scarce: $20,000 reported to have fixed dely Rotterdam 20 Feb to make trip out. Some more cargoes were reported out from South Africa, but levels failed to be higher than last done. Period market was relatively busier compared to spot one: 5/8 months reported at $13,350.
Panamax (Atlantic and Pacific)
The Atlantic market improved a little at the beginning of the week, but it was very fragile and then it went down again by the end being influenced by the candidates from the East. ECSA grain was still the focus of the Atlantic market with rates talked at about $19,000+$400,000bb aps del ECSA or $13,000+$400,000bb del passing COGH. The TransAtlantic business was limited with some vessel done at $10,000 daily + 200,000bb level. From the Pacific side, market turned soft from the beginning. LME in Japan was done at $8,000 daily for Nopac, while a S.China positioned vessel was talked at similar level for Indonesia round. Short period business went soft quickly with the market level being $9,000 daily again for short period.
Handy (Far East/Pacific)
The market trend became a little firmer for Supramax and Handymax. Regular demand for loading minerals from Indonesia to India and China helped TC rates to grow a little further through the week. Several nickel ore rounds to China were reported agreed at better money, coal business to India was concluded in the low teens for tonnage delivering in Spore/Southeast Asia range. This allowed owners who have tonnage available at EC India to fix Indonesia coal rounds with delivery passing Singapore, at more realistic rates compared with business loading Indian Ocean. North Pacific rounds kept being talked in the $8,000 mark basis delivery Far East, with an aps fixture to Bengal Bay reported at firmer money. It was rumoured higher $8,000's for redelivery Feast, and $9,000 daily was agreed on an Australian round. There was more interest for period chartering with several fixtures concluded: three 57,000 dwt vessels were booked at $10,000 daily for 1 year, one of them allowed a 2nd year option at $2,000 higher daily rate. A fancier 58,000 tonner fetched $11,200 for one year, and $9,500 daily was agreed on a ‘52' fro 3/5 months.
Handy (North Europe/Mediterranean)
There was still shortage of fresh enquiries that slowed down the activity in this area. The North European market still lacked activity with a limited amount of enquiries to the Mediterranean, mostly for smaller Handies. However most of them were not ready yet for firm trading. The chartering activity was also quite low from Med and BSea waters, from where some trading and failing was said to be going on. On the other hand the expensive bunker price plus a no longer attractive Atlantic Americas market prevented owners to ballast their tonnage and still allowed a couple of charterers to book positioning business at extremely low figures. A Supramax ready to sail from the East Med was booked for short period at levels almost identical to what she would have got by delivering in the Far East.
Handy (USA/N.Atlantic/Lakes/S.America)
The USG market was still weak for Supramax owners with a prompt 55,000 tonner reported fixed at $18,000 daily for trip to Far East. That level was followed by some similar fixtures into the Med concluded at lousy rates both on TC and voyage basis and a smaller Handymax was getting only $8,000 daily on a trip from the US Atlantic. More units were booked for loading out of South America where Supramax business into the Med was agreed at better money compared to the USG, with the rest of the market started to suffer. From the same area smaller Handies kept enjoying a slightly better market. The week closed showing another Supramax fixed from the U.S. Gulf to the East at a better $20,000 daily.
Handy (Indian Ocean/South Africa)
A Supramax available WC India agreed to commit for 12 months period at a lower level, considering similar money was previously agreed for a 3 to 5 months duration. Spot interest was very limited because of the on-going slow market approach of the Middle East based operators. Better money was agreed on the WC India/China iron ore run while owners agreed to perform a Middle East Gulf round back to WC India at lower figures.
Banchero Costa and Co Spa
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