Black Sea Handysize/Supramax market shows some enhancement for Jul-Aug dates only

Market activity remains on the very bottom in Black and Meditarrenan Seas for spot/prompt dates. Slightly better grain offer is seen only for July abd August laycans. Note that a short-period activity remains more or less brisk, especially compared to TCT agreements.

Off the TCT market:

• Grain intermed deals for standard Handysize vessels are still discussed at $5-6k daily bss dely passing Canakkale via CVB;
• The deal for a clinker trip bss APS dely TurkMed redel ARAG is negotiated at $6.5k daily;
• Charterers are ready to pay $8-8.5k daily for a Handy vessel bss dely Iskenderun redel EC Mexico for a bagged cement run;
• A couple of charterers are still ready to pay around $9k daily for a 3-6 mnths period bss dely Med for 30-33k dwt vessels, others bid even $10k daily for a 34-36k dwt carrier;
• A large Handysize vessel has been chartered at a tick above than $10k daily bss APS dely Tunisia redel WAfr;
• The deal for a 56k dwt Supramax carrier has been signed at $8.5k daily bss APS dely TurkMed redel USG for a culk cement run;
• Fronthaul rates are still hovering at $11-12k daily for Ultramax vessels bss dely EMed, meanwhile some owners succeeded to get around $13k daily from Morocco to Spore-Japan.
• Rates for usual Supramax cliner trips towards WAfr are softening since charterers already have vessels at $8k daily bss dely EMed.

As for the voyage-basis rates:

• The deal for spot shipment of 30,000 t of corn from POC to Alexandria has been discussed at mere $13/t, which hardly reaches even $4k daily in TCE bss dely psg Canakkale for vessels with no EWRI required;
• Meanwhile, some traders are ready to pay up to $14/t for a similar shipment of 25-30,000 t lot of corn, but with lower l/d rates of 7500x/3500x, which also means $3.5-4.2k daily in TCE bss dely psg Canakkale;
• Large traders are ready to pay quite strong $12.5-13/t for transportation of 30,000 t of corn from POC to Bulgaria, which is equivalent to $6-6.5k daily bss dely psg Canakkale in case of no EWRI required and $2.5-3k less in case of 50-70k of EWRI;
• Charterers target up to $20/t for late Jun-early Jul shipment of 30,000 t of wheat from POC to Algeria with 10000x/2500x l/d raets, while owners are seeking to get $22/t so far (equivalent to $7k vs. $8.5k daily bss dely psg Canakkale for vessels with no EWRI required and $1.5-2k less in case of $50-70k of EWRI);
• Up to 23,000 t of wheat are offered from Constanta to Alexandria at mere $10/t given 6000x/4000x l/d rates and spot laycans, which hardly reaches even $2k daily bss dely psg Canakkale in TCE;
• Meanwhile, a large grain house target $17/t for transportation of 30,000 t of wheat from CVB to Morocco in Jul/Aug with 8000x/5000x l/d rates, while owners are seeking to get $19/t so far (equivalent to $7k daily vs. $9k daily bss dely psg Canakkale)
• The deal for a 2H Jul shipment of 30,000 t of wheat from CVB to Aveiro with 8000 sshex bends l/d rates is discussed at $18/tm which is equivalent to $7.5-8k daily bs dely psg Canakkale;
• As for forward dates, charterers target up to $16/t for transportation of 30,000 t of grains from CVB to SpanMed with 8000 sshex bends l/d rates and 2H Autumn laycans, while owners are seeking to get much higher (low $20s/t), which means around $8k daily vs. $14-15k daily bss dely psg Canakkale.

Looking at the non-grain cargoes:

• Shipment of 25-30,000 t of urea from Egypt to Brazil is still discussed at low 20s/t bss 1/1 given 7000x/6000c l/d rates or mid $20s/t with lower dischrates;
• Transportation of 30-40,000 t of clay from Constanta to Castellon is assessed by ISM at $13-14/t;
• Brokers suggest $16/t for shipment of around 20,000 t of steels from Iskenderun to the North Adriatic bss 1/1.