Baltic Exchange Dry Index 1897 UP 28
BCI Baltic Exchange Capesize Index 2539 UP 38
BPI Baltic Exchange Panamax Index 1743 DOWN 3
BSI Baltic Exchange Supramax Index 1396 UP 46
BHSI Baltic Exchange Handysize Index 684 UP 12
23/4 2009 18:53 fcras 0
8631 There appears to be a good deal of strength in the dry-bulk spot and period markets with rates in the latter really picking up on Thursday.
The front haul market is really driving panamaxes but there was also feverish activity on the Pacific round route though rates for lifts out of Australia have not really budged.
Capesizes
Cosco has led the line in period charters this week and it returned to the table for the 161,000-dwt Aquabella (built 1995) for four to six months at a large $28,000.
Noble also has the 169,900-dwt C. Triumph (built 1999) for the same period but only paid $23,000 for it.
Panamaxes
There were some very firm spot rates here, understandably in the front haul trade.
Vista, which rose out of the ashes of bankrupt ICI, spent $30,000 a day for a Black Sea-Far East run with the 75,700-dwt Cyclades (built 2000), a relet from Golden Ocean.
Bunge had to front a ballast bonus of $475,000 – the biggest for a while – and a day rate of $22,000 to book the 77,100-dwt Beteigueze (built 2007) from Brazil to the Far East.
The 73,600-dwt Domina (built 2007) will do a front haul via Brazil for Cargill at around the same day rate.
Activity spiked in the Pacific with the 74,600-dwt Isminaki (built 1998) costing $17,500 for a Far East-Australia roundtrip and the 76,600-dwt Pantazis L (built 2002) getting $15,500 for the same itinerary.
Noble has the 69,200-dwt Cedar 1 (built 1998) for the voyage at $15,250 but the 68,800-dwt Yun Tong Hai (built 1990) only got $13,000.
Norden booked the 76,700-dwt Golden Kiji (built 2007) for the trip at $14,500, the same as the 74,300-dwt Tian Yu Feng (built 2001) got but $500 a day more than Danzas paid for the 69,200-dwt Power Long (built 1992).
There has been quite a bit of activity between the Far East and the east coast of South America and Bunge booked the 76,400-dwt Boomerang (built 2004) for the roundtrip at $14,750.
Supramaxes
Short term period rates were really on the move upwards here as Cargill splashed $17,500 per day for five or six months with the 55,900-dwt Yasa Ozcan (built 2006).
Cargill went for the 52,400-dwt Casta Diva (built 2006) for around the same period at $17,000.
And Bunge committed to the 53,000-dwt Spar Draco (built 2006) for a year at $11,850, perhaps not any changed.
The standout spot fixture was of the 53,800-dwt Desert Unity (built 2006) for a run from West Africa to Southeast Asia at a large $25,000.
The 42,500-dwt Sanko Rose (built 1995) got $20,000 for an Atlantic run from the US Gulf with Armada paying $22,000 for a similar voyage with the 53,000-dwt Kang Yu (built 2004).
By Eoin O'Cinneide in London
http://www.tradewinds.no/drycargo/article535272.ece
