Good news if you’re a shipper of coal, grain and iron ore: Ocean transport is once again looking cheap in 2020. Bad news if you’re an owner of a dry bulk carrier: Income at the very start of this year is even weaker for most ships than in early 2019 because fuel costs are much …
https://www.hellenicshippingnews.com/imo-2020-fallout-demand-slump-batter-dry-bulk/
One of the major coal exporters, South Africa is now having to rely more on markets like the ones in the Indian Subcontinent, especially India, in a bid to find buyers for its product. South Africa hasn’t managed to penetrate Far East Asian markets, but it’s faring better in the Subcontinent, where...
https://www.hellenicshippingnews.com/dry-bulk-market-where-to-next-for-south-africas-coal-exports/
The Baltic Exchange’s main sea freight index fell to its lowest level since April on Monday, weighed down by weaker vessel demand across all segments. The Baltic index, which tracks rates for capesize, panamax and supramax vessels that ferry dry bulk commodities, declined 63 points, or 6.9%, to 844...
https://www.hellenicshippingnews.com/baltic-index-falls-to-over-8-month-low-on-weaker-vessel-demand/
Capesize The New Year started with an erosion on pre-Christmas rates as the higher low sulphur fuel costs due to IMO 2020 affected levels. From Brazil the route is now assessed at close to $18.50, whilst from West Australia, several vessels were fixed at various levels which eventually settled at...
https://www.hellenicshippingnews.com/dry-bulk-market-capesize-market-starts-on-the-wrong-foot/
Iron ore imports plumetted 90 per cent (by volume) during the April-October period this fiscal as steel makers opted for domestic sourcing, amid escalating international prices. This is the lowest level of imports recorded in the past seven years, a study by CARE Ratings said. In the comparable...
Coal demand is increasingly moving towards the East, as European cargoes are gradually reducing. In a recent weekly report, shipbroker Banchero Costa said that “demand for coal continues to experience sharply differing fortunes in the Atlantic and Indo/Pacific basins. Whilst coal consumption...
https://www.hellenicshippingnews.com/europe-coal-imports-retreating-fast/
Inventories of seaborne iron ore across Chinese ports declined this week, as steelmakers were keen to replenish their stocks ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday which is in late January this year. SMM data showed that iron ore stocks across 35 Chinese ports totalled 115.41 million mt as of January...
The Baltic Exchange’s main sea freight index touched its lowest level in eight months on Friday, weighed down by weak demand across all vessel segments. The Baltic index, which tracks rates for capesize, panamax and supramax vessels that ferry dry bulk commodities, fell 69 points, or 7%, to 907...
https://www.hellenicshippingnews.com/baltic-index-hits-8-month-low-on-soft-demand-across-vessels/
Over the past two decades Russia has managed to move from a net importer of wheat to a net exporter, displacing the EU to become the largest exporter in the 2016-17 marketing season, and continuing to lead since. Increasing planted area and higher quality of the grain produced ought to support...
SMM estimates that there were 80 vessels carrying 11.69 million mt of iron ore arrived at major Chinese ports during December 22-28, down 3.05 million mt from the week ended December 21. This marked the second consecutive week of decline, with significantly lower arrivals at ports in Shandong and...
https://www.hellenicshippingnews.com/iron-ore-arrivals-at-chinese-ports-shrank-for-2-weeks/