Shipping - Shipping News - Dry Trade

DRY TRADE CAPESIZE: Hard times for owners as levels - physically as well as derivatives - have dropped drastically across the board. Spot demand is simply not enough to absorb the massive number of new entries that come in addition to the existing fleet. Average spot earnings down close to 25% w-o-w, coming in at around usd 26k. Pacific is hard hit in particular, with rates for rounds falling by almost 35% to usd 18k. Atlantic is holding up better, as the ballasters from Far East take most of the general beating - the North Atlantic tonnage/cargo balance is healthy in comparison. A few brave operators dare to book period tonnage despite the overall trend, with usd 28500 done just before diving into the abyss on 180kdwt/2009 for 12 months delivery China 5/15 Dec, also 172kdwt/2001 done for 3-5 months at usd 25k delivery retro China 14 Nov. uncertainty as to whether market about to find a floor or if this is turning into a complete collapse.