Market players report slowdown of fixing of Ukrainian grain shipments amid growing uncertainty and longer waiting times at Istanbul for inspections. However, positive impetus on Handysize and Supramax rates persists in the Black and Mediterranean Seas particularly thanks to limited list of open vessels in the basin. This week:
Owners of 32-33k dwt vessels are seeking to get at least $30k daily bss dely DOP Italy via Ukraine redel EMed, while charterers are not ready to pay more than $27k daily for the same;
A 34k dwt vessel has been chartered at $33k daily bss dely passing Canakkale via Ukraine redel WMed, which looks quite strong;
The deal for a 32k dwt carrier bss dely DOP Marmara via Russia redel Med is discussed at $26-28k daily;
A 43k dwt Handymax ship has been chartered at $23k daily bss DOP dely Varna redel Continent.
As for larger tonnage:
An Ultramax vessel has been chartered at $26k daily bss DOP dely Marmara via Constanta redel South Korea;
A couple of Supramax F/H deals via Ukraine are negotiated at $34-36k daily bss dely passing Canakkale;
A small Supramax carrier has been fixed at $19.5k daily bss APS dely Iskenderun redel SpanMed;
Meanwhile, Ultramax owners have succeeded to get very strong $38k daily for an inter-Med trip via Ukraine with passing Otranto delivery;
As for the WAfr destination, a couple of Ultramax ships have been chartered at $28-29k daily for usual clinker and limestone runs bss dely WMed.
As for period rates:
A 26k dwt carrier has been chartered at $14.75k daily bss dely CMed for a 2-year period;
The deal for a 30k dwt vessel has been signed at $13.75k daily for 12 months bss dely Med;
A 61k dwt ship has got $22k daily for 6 months bss dely Med.
The number of fresh firm offers ex Ukraine has decreased, while other cargo flows look steady:
Thus, charterers still target $45/t for shipment of 25,000 t of wheat from Odesa or Chornomorsk to the Adriatic Sea and up to $55/t to SpanMed bss 1/1 given 8,000x/6,000x l/d rates and AWRP on owner’s acct (equivalent to $30k daily and $34-35k daily bss dely psg Canakkale given 6 days at Istanbul on owner’s acct);
The deal for transportation of 30,000 t of wheat from Odesa to Egypt or Iskenderun is negotiated at mid-high $40s/t given 8,000x/5,000x l/d rates;
Traders are ready to pay $56-57/t for shipment of 30,000 t of wheat from Kavkaz roads to Algeria bss 1/1 and AWRP on owner’s act given 8,000x/2,500x l/d rates (equivalent to $33-34k daily bss dely psg Canakkale);
Other large traders offer $33-34/t for transportation of 25,000 t of wheat from Varna to Libya with 7,000x/2500x l/d rates, which is equivalent to quite strong $19-20k daily bss dely psg Canakkale;
20,000 t of coal are carried from Taman to Samsun at very low $30s/t;
Charterers are ready to pay $19/t for shipment of 40-45,000 t of iron ore from Iskenderun to Dunkirk, while owners are seeking to get mid-$20s/t;
Owners want to get more than $70/t for transportation of 40,000 t of steels from the Marmara Sea to the USG bss 1/3, although charterers will hardly pay more than $60/t even considering low l/d rates.
