The market situation in the Black Sea and the Azov Sea has seen little changes for the coasters during the last days, BMTI was told by an owner active in the region. Grain cargoes are abundant in the area and are concluded from Azov ports in a range of US$ 19-22/mt when heading to Marmara Sea. Same shipments and loading area can be fixed at around the mid US$ 30s/mt when the destination is in the eastern Med and in the mid/high US$ 30s/mt when going to the Italian Adriatic. The earnings of standard sea/river vessels of 5,000 dwt are hovering around US$ 2,800 daily lower year-on-year and some US$ 2,000 lower when compared with the average of the last five years. In view of the approaching winter season barge transport of sulphur on Volga-Don canal is expected to increase before the freeze begins. The river typically closes on 1 November. Sulphur prices for Q4-2019 from Azov to North Africa will range in the mid-to-high US$ 60s/mt CFR. Spot freight rates from Black Sea to Morocco are talked currently at about US$ 21/mt for sulphur shipments of 25-30,000mt which is around the same level seen during the last two weeks. In contrast stems of 10-15,000mt of urea loading in Yuzhnyy and redelivery Turkey are concluded in a range of US$ 12-14/mt which is a drop of US$ 1 week-on-week. Some 3,000mt of minerals saw a spot freight rate of some US$ 14/mt from Marmara to EC Greece and rebars loading in EC Greece and heading to Constanta can fetch about US$ 11/mt on tonnage of 5,000 dwt

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