Bulk report – Week 25
A dark cloud appeared to have descended over the market for the big ships with rates continuing to slide in all areas. There was a report today that POSCO awarded a tender to Five Ocean to move a 20 July-3 August from Port Cartier to Pohang at a very low $12.85. There too was a rumour that Vale booked July tonnage for a cargo from Tubarao to Qingdao at $10.50 but details were not confirmed while a South Korean charterer allegedly paid $11.25 for a second half July cargo on this run.
In the east, the West Australia/China rate was hit hard with talk today of Rio Tinto booking a 9 July onwards cargo from Dampier to Qingdao at $4.65 registering a drop of 55 cents in a week. Timecharter rates too were sharply lower with eco ships barely fixing at rates in the $7,000s daily range.
In contrast, panamax/kamarmaxes had a strong week with rates rising in most areas of the market and South America once again playing a pivotal role. North Atlantic rates were also strong with talk today of a 2015-built 77,119-dwt vessel fixing from Gibraltar spot for a trip via Kamsar to China at a sharply higher $19,000 daily although quick duration. The focus on round voyages in the north has been largely short haul cargoes from the Baltic to the Continent or Mediterranean with rates hitting $11,500 daily while grain charterers paid stronger numbers for cargoes from east coast South America to the Continent with a Kamsarmax fixing from Recalada to Skaw-Gibraltar at $14,000 daily. There were more charterers now prepared delivery for ships coming from the east or the Indian Ocean area for east coast South America/Singapore-Japan runs as aps rates continued to rise. A 2006-built 76,000 tonner fixed for 3 July onwards from east coast South America to the east at $11,000 daily plus a $575,000 bonus. A similar ship 2008-built was booked from Kandla for a trip via east coast South America to the east at $10,250 daily.
The pace quickened for NoPac cargoes as the week drew to a close with Louis Dreyfus paying a Kamsarmax open north China $9,000 daily for a NoPac round. Period trading continued to fuel this market with charterers conceding higher rates. A 75,700 tonner 2004-built fixed for eight to ten months trading with Norden at $9,750 daily basis Sual 13 July.
Supramax
The market in both the Atlantic and Pacific remained fairly firm especially with east coast South America and the US Gulf improving further towards the end of the week. Period fixtures were reported at $9,000 daily delivery mid China on an ultramax for about three to five months and $12,250 daily on a Tess 58 type delivery Liverpool for minimum four to maximum six months.
A 58,000-dwt was fixed at $19,350 daily delivery in the US Gulf for a trip to the Far East with grains and a 55,000-dwt went from the gulf to India with pet coke trip $20,000 daily. A 53,000-dwt delivery east coast South America was fixed to the east at $12,800 daily plus a ballast bonus of $280,000. A scrap trip was reported on a 50,000-dwt delivery Belfast at $10,750 daily to redeliver in the east Mediterranean.
A 56,000-dwt 2007-built delivery Singapore was fixed for a trip via Indonesia to Thailand at $8,000 daily. Nickel ore trips paid mid $9,000 daily on a 55,000-dwt experienced loader delivery in mid China for a round voyage and low $8,000s on a similar-sized delivery north China. A 53,000-dwt 2005-built did a steel trip from Tianjin at $7,250 daily redelivery in Southeast Asia.
Handysize
A positive week in the world of the BHSI and the last five days saw a small gain for all six routes. Sentiment remained firm going into the last week of June and the market still finely balanced. Owners resisted downward pressure from charterers who considered activity slowed. With the batch of European holidays that blighted May and early June now over brokers hoped for further gains in the near future.
The Pola Murom 2014-built 37,666-dwt was reported covered delivery dop Karmoy for a trip via Murmansk to River Plate at $6,500 daily. Continent scrap to the eastern Mediterranean was concluded at $9,000 daily for a vessel around the 35,000-dwt size. Brokers reported the Galene M 2011 built 33,158-dwt was fixed to MUR basis delivery Canakkale prompt for a trip via the Black Sea to the eastern Mediterranean at $6,000 daily. There was an unconfirmed report that a 30,000 tonner was taken for Brazil coastal trade at about $10,000 per day.
In Asia, a long awaited fixture surfaced of the Shan Hu Hai 2016 39,765-dwt which was open Kandla 23 June, fixed a trip to China at a rate in the high $6,000s. Very little information emerged this week from the Asian specialists.
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