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Rates for capes kept moving south

With the BDI currently standing at less than 30 points above the historical lows marked in February this year and with activity across all size segments unable to support rates, which have been tumbling week over week for almost two months now, it is very hard to find arguments supporting a positive correction during the winter season, said Intermodal in its weekly report released yesterday.

The Greece based broker furhter noted that, “ At the same time the fact that the majority of market talk has pretty much accepted that we are experiencing a déjà vu of last winter,  has turned the collapse of rates into a self fulfilling prophecy that allows charterers to hold firmly the upper hand  and is at the same time pushing more owners that are desperately looking for cover during the following months to accept below OPEX rates for short to medium period T/C contracts. Lay ups or increased demolition activity remain two possible ways in which balance can be restored in the market, with the former appearing slightly more appealing at the moment.

Unable to put forth an resistance amidst continuous thin business across both basins and despite the fact that the presence of majors in the spot market last week was evident, rates for Capes kept moving south, while following today’s Baltic closing, average earnings for the segment are now quoted below $6,000day.

Commenting on Panamax, the broker noted that, the fate of the Panamax segment was not much different either, with further pressure in the Atlantic market evident in the exceptionally low rates quoted for transatlantic business, while at the same time Pacific business was hardly paying $5,000day.

Rates for Handymax / Supramax tonnage were still outperforming the rest of the market positionally, managing to put forth some resistance, while the Handysize market failed to offer a positive surprise despite the increased number of business reported in the market, the broker Intermodal noted on smaller size segment ships.

source: http://coalspot.com