Capesize (Atlantic and Pacific)
Tubarao-Qingdao was in free fall until Friday and W Australia-Qingdao was almost stable, but not going up until the end of the week. 5TC average lost almost $2,000/d from Monday to Friday. C3 opened on Monday at $19/mt, lost $0.70/mt during the week and then closed at the same level of the opened due to a smaller number of ballasters available and more cargoes in the market. C5 gained $0.20/mt from Monday to Friday closing at $8.90/mt. Saldanha Bay-Qingdao followed almost the same path of C3 starting the week at $15/mt, losing almost $0.50/mt during the week and closing on Friday at the same level of Monday. On the Atlantic side fronthaul lost $4,000/d, the same for transatlantic due to a lack of cargoes and not much activity. On the period not much activity as well.
Panamax (Atlantic and Pacific)
The week started very slowly with little activity and a few fixtures. There were talks of improving demand and somebody thought that the market may have found a floor, but fixtures did not reflect that idea. On Tuesday the positive sentiment enveloped the market in both basins and bids showed some higher ideas, particularly on TransAtlantic. Fronthaul business appeared less prevalent, but there were talks too of several fresh enquiries from the US Gulf. In Far East demand increased from Australia and North Pacific and with a steady flow of requirements from Indonesia. By mid-week the market was defined by a mixed bag in the Atlantic with tonnage in Cont appearing to tighten a little and rates for quick Baltic RV improving slightly and, with Port Kamsar reopen, bauxite exports began to appear in the market again. The cargo flow ex USG remained steady. Not as bright was ECSAm where rates were under severe pressure and the early ballasters had little choice than to take what they can. The week ended quietly with uncertainty and fragility showed particularly from the South Atlantic. SE Asia too came under pressure, from EC India ships started considering Indonesia and West Australia business as a viable alternative to ECSAm.
Handy (Far East/Pacific)
The market in F East gradually decreased on all sizes with Supra/Ultramax losing less than $300/d and Handies around $200/d. In N China an Ultramax with dely Qingzhou got $8,500/d for a trip to China with clinker and a 57,000 dwt was rumored at $8,750/d on the same trade. A modern Supramax was reported at $6,000/d for a trip via Vietnam to Spore with aggregates and a 53,000 dwt with dely Spore was rumored at $9,500/d via Indo to Vietnam. Not many fixtures for handies, a 38,000 dwt with dely HK was done at $7,000/day for a trip to CJK range.
Handy (North Europe/Mediterranean)
The market in Cont was more active and a fancy 34,000 dwt with dely Cont to E Med with scrap was done around $11,500/d. At the end of the week a 37,000 dwt with dely WC Norway was fixed for a trip with coal via Murmansk to ARA at $13,000/d which is an improvement compared to the previous week. A 63,000 dwt was fixed at $14,000/d basis with dely Cont via Baltic to W Med and a 58,000 dwt was reported at just at $9,750/d for a similar trip with a similar delivery; apparently the lower figure was also due the longer ballast leg. In Med Handysize were very quiet and 35/36,000 dwt units could hardly get $8,000/d basis dely aps BSea to Cont. An Ultramax from BSea failed a quick steel trade at $19,000/d while a 56,000 dwt was fixed basis dely Canakkale via BSea to Cont at $8,000/d. Not much optimism in these waters, December could bring some improvements.
Handy (USA/N.Atlantic/Lakes/S.America)
In USG rates for Supramax and Ultramax change trend from the early hours of Monday morning: a shorter tonnage list sparked the feeling that the market could bounce and so happened; slowly demand increased, more for December dates than for November. Supramax were fixing $13/13,500/d for Atlantic TCT and Ultramax around $15/16,000/d, trips to F East were up to high teens and low $20,000s/d on Ultramax. Handysize supply was still long and demand did not increase much leaving the market slow: TCT to MED/Cont was done around $9,5/10,000/d on 32/35,000 dwt and around $11,000/d for 37/39,000 dwt, it is still difficult to predict a real change in the smaller sector. ECSAm market on Handysize kept softening, especially for Atlantic destinations, whilst Supra/Ultramax improved despite the rates exchanged during the last part of the week do not seem promising. 38,000 dwt were getting $10/10,500/d to Skaw/Pass and trips to F East were in the $12/13,000/d, still unattractive for owners. Brazil coastal trips were around $9,000/d. On larger units Tess58 were getting $13,000/d + 300,000 bb to F East and Ultramax $13,500/d + 350,000 bb. Trips to Cont/Med were around $12/13,000/d on Supramax depending on specs and around $13,000/d on Ultramax.
Handy (Indian Ocean/South Africa)
Rates kept sliding on most routes. A 57,000 dwt was heard MEG-WCI with limestones at mid $10,000s/d basis dely aps. A little more activity came from ECI: depending on positions and specs 52/56,000 dwt were fixed between high $6,000s/d and $8,000/d with iron ore to China, late in the week an Ultramax got $high $10,000s/d basis dely Bangladesh for a similar trip. From SAfr rates more or less remained unchanged with Ultramax in the mid/high $11,000/d + 150/175,000 bb.
Banchero Costa and Co Spa
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