In the Atlantic there is ample reason for the owners to celebrate and enjoy playing around with charterers. Now the charterer’s flexibility is challenged to prepare the ground for a deal with the owner. Kamsarmax owners have been commanding US$ 30,000 daily for a fronthaul run from the Continent.
Handysize owners are somewhat less sanguine and believe the market has peaked – temporarily at least. A 38,000dwt got US$ 13,000 daily for a trip from the Baltic to the East Med, and 33,000dwt was open at US$ 7,500 daily for a trip to the USG, which the same owners covered last week at US$ 9,000 daily, and which rate they have so far not seen this week.
The larger sizes keep running the show from Black Sea. An 82,000dwt tonnage was covered at US$ 19,000 daily from Canakkale to Baltic with redelivery Skaw. An Ultra was offered US$ 27,000 daily from East Med via Black Sea to Singapore/Japan, after owners indicated to charterers US$ 16,500 daily from WC India via Black Sea to the East. The owner was offered US$ 15,500 daily for short period.
Slowly but steadily the list of available Handysize tonnage in the Black Sea seems to be getting shorter, which is challenging the charterers to think twice about their rate levels they have in mind. Fertilizer charterers were facing problems to cover 39-45,000mt from Egypt Med to 2 ports in Brazil and due to internal arrangement solved the problem. Also 25,000mt ammonium nitrate from Novorossiysk to Santos are not easy to cover these days. After a while charterers raised their rate level to US$ 27/mt, which is said to equate to around US$7,500 daily on a 28,000dwt vessel.
ECSA remains very much in flux. Ultra tonnage has been traded at around US$19,000 daily for trans-Atlantic trips. Business is plentiful for Handies as well, with US$ 16,000 daily for 38,000dwt tonnage for t/a business.
The East is just frustratingly unpleasant for the owners. A 57,000dwt failed at US$ 10,850 daily for a trip from Singapore area to Chittagong. NoPac charterers were rating Ultra tonnage at US$ 9,500 daily for a round voyage. An impressive number of US$ 11,000 daily for an Australian r/v with delivery in Indonesia was mentioned to owners of a 62,000dwt vessel.
The most arresting place however has become the PG/WC India area. A 58,000dwt tonnage was bid US$ 12,000 daily for 4-6 months trading with delivery WC India, whilst a 53,000dwt apparently got US$ 10,850 daily for 3-5 months trading, also with delivery WC India. South African charterers have been struggling to cover a Handysize order to Bay of Bengal talking US$ 13,000 daily on a 38,000dwt, but owners seem uninspired. The charterers also were looking at tonnage in the PG and rated a 32,000dwt at US$ 8,500 daily dop PG, which owners countered at US$ 10,500 daily. Fertilizer charterers were keen to get hold of a 38,000dwt at US$ 14,000 daily from Red Sea to Singapore area, but owners did not appear enthusiastic about it.
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