Capesize (Atlantic and Pacific)
Market turned on to show positive signs last week as Atlantic side leading the tide. It was reported $20 fixed for trip from Brazil even if there were no details. Atlantic round settled over $10,000 and charterers seemed still hungry of prompt vessels. In the Pacific key route W. Australia/China settled in the mid-$7. It was reported good activity on period with vessels fixed for 6/9 months at abt $10,000 and for 10/15 months at the high level $10,000.
Panamax (Atlantic and Pacific)
The Atlantic market kept largely stable in the past week. TransAtlantic biz was fixed at $8,000 daily, which was a bit firm thanks to prompt cargoes. However, the rate of Fronthaul trip from US Gulf to Fareast was not that steady and was agreed at $14,000/d + $400,000 bb. The charterers also started to take vessels for ECSA grains and fixtures were done at similar level. In Pacific, the candidates were still struggling in the mud due to rather limited cargoes in the market. Indonesia round was evaluated at $5,000/d + $80,000 bb. NoPac round was fixed at $5,000/d + high $200,000 bb level. There were still some short period takers in the market, but rates were low at $6,000 daily level for 4/8 months.
Handy (Far East/Pacific)
Rates further decreased through the week due to negative trends affecting all trades. There was still enough business loading regularly ex-SE Asia, where charterers involved with stems to India or to stay in the area are more and more fixing only on an aps load-port delivery basis. Due to poor rates options, owners of tonnage open at EC India found biz ex-SE Asia so unattractive that they started ballasting towards S.Africa and Atlantic. Feast-bound stems from the same area still allowed owners to fix on at least dop basis. A mediocre $6,000/d was agreed for a Supramax to perform a Nopac RV basis deliver Feast while short period was still agreed at only $8,000/8,250 daily. There was again interest to move cement form N. China to W. Africa and 2 Supramaxes thus got fixed at $6,000 and $7,750 daily respectively for the first 60 days and $9,000 both for balance. Less was paid to a 52,000 tonner agreeing a trip form N. China to the Continent at $5,000 for first 60 days and $8,250 for balance. Smaller Handies were seen trading within the area at daily rates in the low/mid $7,000.
Handy (North Europe/Mediterranean)
Amid a generally depressed trend, a nice Supramax available in the Continent grabbed a pretty strong $17,250/d for a trip to Persian Gulf including Iran. Perhaps due to restricted available tonnage owners trading Iran can now obtain better premium. Biz from N. Europe was otherwise very quiet and similar to what happened in E. Med-Black Sea regions, from where Handysizes were reported fixed at very unattractive levels for Atlantic employment including short period. There were also more tonnages seen to sail in ballast to Atlantic Americas.
Handy (USA/N.Atlantic/Lakes/S.America)
There was an ongoing variety of attractive biz for the owners to choose from the S American Atlantic side with rates seen improving for all sizes: $18750/d was the rate agreed on a 45,000 tonner from Brazil to Singapore-India and a larger 53,700 dwt got $14,000/d + 400,000 bb with similar delivery for a trip to Singapore/Japan range. For TransAtlantic interest focus more on smaller Handies with a 34,000 dwt tonner fixing coastal trade at $12,750/d and a similar size taking $12,000 for a trip to the Cont. A great $16,250/d was also agreed on a 33,000 dwt to perform a trip from Recalada to Med. Activity was also reasonably good from the USG where reported rates were firm both to East and Atlantic discharging areas. A Supramax ballasting ex-central Med was agreed for short period redel Atlantic at $10,750/d retroactive delivery.
Handy (Indian Ocean/South Africa)
A little more chartering interest from S.Africa showed that Supramax rates to the Feast had improved compared to the market levels from WC India for the same direction. Considering previous trend, it was also very nice to see a fancy 34,000 tonner getting fixed at $ 11,000/d. Better rates for owners are still said to be available for those able to trade Iranian ports, from where there was still some Supramax enquiry for Feast destinations.
Banchero Costa and Co Spa
E-Posta: research@bancosta.it
Internet: www.bancosta.it