The most usual question that is asked to brokers and specialists of the sector: how will be the market in future periods?
Supply and demand always decide the fate and movements of the trump market and it is this that makes it always extremely unpredictable.
As for the Supramax and Ultramax sizes (with focus on the Atlantic market), in recent weeks we are witnessing an unstable market, tense, in which only a few loading areas are experiencing a rosy situation.
The area of the Gulf of the United States, in fact, continues to improve, with Time charter rates that reach even the 30.000 USD for a USG TA to the Med basis design Tess 58. The front haul route instead, always from the Gulf and for the same vessel design, can reach high 30.000 USD that compared with the same route but via East Coast South America, sees a difference of more than 10.000 USD per day, being today at around 16.000 USD + 600.000 USD BB.
Interesting remains as always, the situation of the Black Sea, where the Russian cargoes continue undaunted to leave the firm earth, mostly towards the Far East or the West Africa, while also some Ukrainian cargoes are leaving the ports of Odessa, Chornomorsk and Yuzhny. It seems that the not reopening of the corridors and the post-Panamax incident of few weeks ago did not stop the ukrainian grain exports, which today pay about 30.000 USD for a Tess 58 delivery Port Said and redelivery China (while a front haul for a non-russian business or Ukraine today fluctuates around 21.000 USD).
Otherwise, in the Mediterranean we note the usual clinker activity towards West Africa, which today pays about 17/18.000 USD for areas not at high risk with a spread of about 2.000 USD if HRA.
Finally, from the Continent and the Baltic Sea, there is a good flow of scrap, both towards the US and towards East Med, which now sees an increase of the rates to about 21.000 USD for a Supra with good specifics, although in recent days the owners have started to demand more and to request hire levels around 24.000 USD per day.
